Building a sustainable future by constructing with timber

29 May 2019 Sustainable construction

Applications for the World Architecture Festival (WAF) are closed and the world will soon be looking at the latest and most innovative construction designs. 

For the second time, PEFC supports the Best Use of Certified Timber Prize, and we can’t wait to see the fantastic projects that have entered the prize this year! 

We will discover the finalists over the next few months, before the winner is chosen in December. Stay tuned!

The prize rewards architects and project teams for using certified timber in an innovative, educational or artistic manner for their constructions.

Why build with wood?

More and more architects, public authorities and private companies worldwide are choosing certified wood for their buildings, as they see the many benefits of wood as a construction material. 

Sustainable wood is great for the environment, and the only renewable material on a large scale currently available. While concrete, steel, cement and glass emit large amounts of carbon, wood stores it. Building with wood therefore protects the climate and contributes to the reduction of our ecological footprint.

Since a home made of wood is lighter than one made of conventional materials, its foundation can be smaller and simpler. This can significantly reduce construction time.

Wooden buildings are also healthy for the people living and working in them. Wood has a positive influence on the indoor climate and is an excellent heat and humidity regulator.

Make it safe and traceable – with PEFC certification!

Whether you use solid or engineered wood for your building, make sure it doesn't come from illegal origins but is sourced from sustainably managed forests. Make sure it carries the PEFC label!

PEFC-certified forest products originate in forests that are managed sustainably in line with strict international requirements. This means that the forests that provide us with timber and other forest products now, will still be around in the future.

PEFC-certified timber and engineered wood products are readily available for construction projects from a wide range of global suppliers. Construction projects can even obtain PEFC Project Chain of Custody certification to demonstrate excellence in responsible sourcing.

Designing the future with sustainable timber

Under the theme Designing the Future with Sustainable Timber, a range of stakeholders have come together under the leadership of PEFC to promote the use of certified wood in construction. Join us! Contact us at fabienne.sinclair@pefc.org.