When sustainable timber construction helps grow local jobs and local forests

8 December 2020 Sustainable construction

Forests and their value chains are of critical importance for sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment and decent work for all, especially in rural areas. At PEFC, a strong focus of our work has always been to promote and secure decent jobs with a focus on small- and medium-sized enterprises.

The use of local wood, in order to help support local jobs and economies, is close to the heart of Paul Jarquin, President and founder of REI Habitat, and a pioneer of wood construction in France.

REI Habitat has long been committed to promoting sustainability through building with wood, and recently became the first real estate company in France to achieve PEFC certification.

“Through the use of wood and bio-based materials, we want to reinvent the business of construction and property development to provide a lasting structure to the French forestry and wood sector,” Paul Jarquin highlighted.

“PEFC certification is a lever to make this ambition a reality. It allows us to ensure the good management of the forests from which the wood is obtained, and to be able to provide this assurance of forest preservation to the people living in and using our projects.”

REI Habitat has also received the Bois de France label, proving that the wood for their construction projects comes from French forests (more than 80%), and that the processing and assembly of the products are carried out in France.

“The Bois de France brand is still one step further, ensuring the local origin of the resource and promoting the retention and creation of local sustainable jobs within the sector,” Paul concluded.

PEFC Webinar: Building a better future with certified timber

Paul Jarquin will be joined by Mark Wayne Probert from Binderholz and Mark Thomson, architect and Director of Eco-Effective Solutions, to discuss how timber construction supports climate mitigation and other global sustainability targets.

Paul is actively engaged in the development of the French wood sector. As well as President of REI Habitat, he is also Secretary General of ADIVbois, an association created as part of the French government’s plan “Industrie du Futur” to promote wood-frame buildings.

Paul Jarquin founded REI Habitat, a real estate development company specialized in wood construction, in 2009. In 2013, REI Habitat delivered the highest timber-framed residential building (5 storeys) in France and demonstrated its leading position in the French market.

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