The construction industry in the UK accounts for almost 47% of the UKs total CO2 emissions, with 50% of whole life carbon emissions in buildings coming from embodied carbon. In this post we will talk about the impacts of timber and the sustainable alternatives to Timber Hoarding.
What is Embodied Carbon?
Embodied carbon is any carbon emitted from the manufacturing process not operational processes, this is the carbon emitted from the building being used.
Timber is often seen as being a more sustainable option because it is a naturally grown product however there are more sustainable options that offer a closed loop solution.
What is the impact of Timber?
- 82% of the UKs timber is imported
- 20% of imported timber in the UK comes from a forest with an associated environmental risk
- 10% of timber is recycled each year the rest ends up in Landfill
The UK imports 41% of its timber from China, this alone creates higher rates of emissions however China only has 2 areas that produce small amounts of hardwood and they are the worlds largest importer of timber. So where is the timber really coming from?
What about FSC Certified wood?
FSC covers crucial factors such as forest health, biodiversity, water quality, and Indigenous and workers’ rights. These certifications do not require forestry companies to track how different management practices impact the carbon stock of a forest. This makes it difficult to decipher which suppliers supply the most sustainable, low-carbon product.
Timber Hoarding
After the initial cost for timber hoarding there is also the added cost of on-going maintenance and repairs to consider. This quickly becomes more expensive than other Hoarding Solutions. Timber Hoarding can be easily damaged meaning that it will need replacing more frequently increasing the projects cost and carbon footprint.
The majority of timber is unable to be re-used due to deterioration. This is then sent to landfill at the end of the project. Hoarding is usually treated meaning this is deemed hazardous. Every tonne that rots produces the same amount of harmful methane as 600kg of Co2.
Back in 2017 Fast Fence were part of a project to replace Timber Hoarding for Kier. The Timber Hoarding had delaminated and was becoming weak.
Case study
Project: Sports Park, Wales
Client: Kier
In 2017 Fast Fence were asked to provide a suitable replacement for Timber Hoarding. The Hoarding had delaminated and was becoming weak, posing a potential risk.
Fast Fence supplied the site with 300m of Greenhoard that is still in place today. To date it hasn’t required any replacement panels or maintenance.
Greenhoard is made from recycled plastic and is 100% reusable and recyclable. Reducing the Carbon Footprint of projects.
For more information on our range sustainable hoarding solutions, feel free to get in touch.