Forestry Commission Scotland (FCS) is committed to helping increase the volume and percentage of Scottish sustainable timber and timber products used in construction.
What are we doing to promote the use of timber in construction?
Sustainable Construction Timber publication
This publication was initiated by FCS to help building designers and contractors source and specify local timber products. The information should also be of value to people considering using their own timber on a construction project.
Designing housing with Scottish Timber (updated 2009)
This report was jointly commissioned with Perthshire Housing Association (with support from the Scottish Forest Industries Cluster and Communities Scotland). It looks at current sustainable housing design and uses the lessons learnt to propose a new prototype house, maximising the use of Scottish timber in rural, affordable, low energy housing provision.
The report includes information about options for enhancing the sustainability of house design.
- Read a synopsis of the main report (PDF 1.1Mb)
- Read the full report Designing housing with Scottish timber (2Mb)
- Read case studies from 2005 accompanying the full report (780k)
Construction materials emissions study
FCS commissioned a study that compares the carbon dioxide emissions of different building materials to highlight the benefits of using timber in construction.
- Read the report: The carbon benefits of using timber in construction (PDF 296k)
Report appendices:
- Appendix 2: Emissions Calculations and Assumptions – Building materials (PDF 40k)
- Appendix 3: Emissions Calculations and Assumptions – Timber transportation (PDF 14k)
- Appendix 4: Emissions Calculations and Assumptions – Typical English Building Materials (PDF 15k)
See also
- Timber cladding in Scotland (PDF 47k)
- Designing with Timber (PDF 5Mb)
- Information note on supplying homegrown timber products to the Scottish building industry (PDF 63k)
Other FCS activity in relation to sustainable construction
We have:
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Commissioned the publication Green Oak in Construction, written by the Timber Research and Development Association (TRADA), Peter Ross and the Green Oak Carpentry Company.
- Read Green Oak in Construction (PDF 5.5Mb)
- See the appendices, references and glossary (PDF 771k)
- There are several green oak case studies (PDF 3.5Mb) that go with the document.
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Published information on accessing sustainably grown Scottish softwood timber and timber products (PDF 33k) -
Made presentations on the use of timber in construction at conferences nationwide
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Assisted in the development of the EU project External Timber Cladding.
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Supported the Napier Centre for Timber Engineering (CTE) through direct support and contributions to projects.
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Supported the development of the Scottish Ornithologists Club HQ at Aberlady as an exemplar for using homegrown timber in construction (pictured right).
See also: procuring sustainable timber and renewables and bioenergy.
