Material efficiency in local timber construction: unlocking the potential of English timber

Abstract

The rising demand for low-embodied carbon materials and supply chain disruptions, such as climate change impacts and global crises, necessitate a sustainable wood supply for building products. Supporting local capacity to grow, manufacture, and supply timber-building products can surmount international trade barriers. In the UK, the market is import-oriented, with forests in England primarily utilised for short-term purposes. This study explores material-efficient, optimisation-driven structural timber systems using local underutilised English timber for low to mid-rise buildings and retrofitting. Adding value to this timber offers long-term carbon sequestration, addresses the demand for lowembodied carbon materials, and provides socio-economic benefits through local education and employment. We present designs and simulations of structural prototypes using underutilised English timber and analyse timber-based truss system performance. Preliminary results show effective and scalable approaches for optimised truss, beam, and joist systems relevant to those interested in materialefficient timber structures with underutilised timber resources.