Sustainability will become a much more important factor for future construction

5 May 2022 PEFC Stakeholder Dialogue

“The world’s population is growing, and timber is the only material that can keep pace with this demand,” says John Spittle, UK and Ireland Representative at timber engineering company Wiehag.

“Timber has to be part of the solution. Because every other material is going to start running out.”

John is a speaker at the 2022 PEFC Stakeholder Dialogue, taking place this Thursday in Dublin.

In our interview, he gives us an insight into the fascinating world of modern timber construction, and explains why sustainably sourced timber has to be the construction material of the future.

“Sustainability will become a much more important factor for future construction,” he highlights. “PEFC, because it provides the mechanisms to robustly demonstrate compliance to all parties, is a vital part of the chain.”

“In European forests they grow their trees how we in England grow wheat. Just on a 70-year cycle instead of a yearly one. And every time they cut down a field, they plant another one, and in 70 years, it has gobbled up as much CO2 as it’s likely to.”

Using more timber means that more forests are planted. “Since about 2004, an area the size of Switzerland has become new forest in Europe,” he explains.

The PEFC Stakeholder Dialogue will see speakers from a range of sectors speaking about the road to net zero. John will speak about the potential of engineered timber and how factory precision can deliver sustainable buildings.