construction AND PEFC CERTIFIED TIMBER
About PEFC
PEFC (Programme for Endorsement of Forest Certification) is an international non-profit, non-governmental organisation dedicated to promoting Sustainable Forest Management through independent third-party certification. PEFC is an umbrella organisation. It works by endorsing national forest certification systems developed collaboratively by all interested stakeholders and tailored to local priorities and conditions. National forest certification schemes undergo rigorous third party assessment against PEFC’s unique Sustainability Benchmarks. PEFC has recognised certification systems in more than 30 countries. Together these account for over 247 million hectares of certified forests, 2
making PEFC the world’s largest forest and wood product certification system. It applies the highest ecological, social and ethical standards to forest management and is the certification system of choice for family and community-owned forests. At its core is an independently verified Chain of Custody process which tracks certified material from the forest to the end user enabling companies to make accurate claims on the content of certified material. It proves that each step of the supply chain from the forest to the end user has been monitored closely with independent auditing. To date, more than 10,000 companies have obtained PEFC Chain of Custody certification.
The Complete Building Material Timber is a material that sits at the heart of the construction industry. As well as having the lowest embodied CO2 of any commercially available building material, it is increasingly seen as the simple and straightforward way for contractors and clients to achieve a highperformance, energy efficient building solution. With timber species offering dimensional stability and durability, PEFC-certified timber has unique sustainability credentials as a renewable building material compared to concrete, steel, brick and block or aluminium. PEFC-certified timber plays an enormous part in many building projects from structural applications such as timber frame, engineered woods including glulam, cross laminated timber (CLT), laminated
veneer lumber (LVL) and structural insulated panels (SIPs) to key components such as engineered floor cassettes, attic trusses, along with basic building items such as staircases, windows and doorsets. Also included would be innovative modified wood products such as AccoyaÂŽ.
PEFC & CLT/Glulam from PEFC-certified Spruce or Larch and acts as a natural and renewable alternative to steel and concrete. Large vertical or horizontal beams deliver huge interior spans without supporting columns with the scope to showcase breathtaking use of space and introduce huge swathes of natural light.
The use of solid wood solutions, engineered timber systems and products such as Cross Laminated Timber (CLT) and Glulam are an increasingly popular and fashionable way to build strong and stable structures and bring a striking architectural dimension to modern building design. Glulam and Cross Laminated Timber (CLT) is commonly made
Across the world, the international design community is embracing CLT to deliver high profile, award winning projects from houses, schools and hotels to restaurants, theatres and supermarkets. PEFC-certified timber is at the heart of two of the UK’s groundbreaking multi-storey buildings – Stadthaus, Murray Grove and Bridport House. 3
Chain of Custody It is critical to prove that the timber used on your project is sustainably sourced and certified. Chain of Custody documentation proves that each step of the supply chain has been monitored closely with independent auditing and is the key mechanism for tracing certified material from the forest to the building site. This unbroken link is transparent proof that the timber used is sourced from a legally managed
CHAIN of custody certification 1 Certified Forest
2 Certified Logs
3 Certified Distribution
4 Certified Sawmill
5 Certified Merchant
6 Retailer
7 Contractor
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and certified forest. Alongside standard Chain of Custody certification, there are two other ways in which those operating in the construction sector can benefit from PEFC certification. Project Chain of Custody Certification Companies can also become involved with PEFC through Project Certification. PEFC Project Chain of Custody certification recognises that not all parties involved in specific projects are certified. This is a particular form of Chain of Custody where an individual project is considered to be the ‘product’ to which the Chain of Custody process is applied. In practice, the Project Manager obtains a Chain of Custody certificate for Project Certification and subcontractors working on the project are covered as Project Members and are not required to obtain Chain of Custody certification themselves (although in the long term this would obviously makes traceability easier). Group Chain of Custody For many sole traders and small firms, having Chain of Custody may be viewed as a costly option. If company Chain of Custody certification is not possible, a simple and cost effective way to achieve PEFC-certified status is to join or form a Group Chain of Custody Scheme. Generally, a Group Scheme involves a consultant (or Group Manager) helping member companies to set up the procedures and paperwork required to satisfy the requirements of the Group Scheme and undertake audits to maintain the certification. Once your company is certified, you will be allowed to use the PEFC logos and labels on your products and marketing materials.
Performance Matters PEFC Timber – Intelligent Construction Fabric First The timber frame approach to low energy building design that allows you to confidently meet SAP targets, achieve Passivhaus standards and deliver high thermal performance without the need for additional renewable energy extras.
Prefabrication Mass-customised timber components can deliver high levels of onsite efficiency, less waste and more reliable factory-controlled precision, more stable cost model and predictable timescales.
Cutting CO2 A renewable and green building material with low embodied energy that can be easily recycled or reused. Timber also acts as a carbon sink meaning that when the harvested timber is converted into wood products, they continue to store carbon and reduce overall carbon emissions.
Corporate Social Responsibility Clearly demonstrate to clients that you and your supply chain are committed to growing responsible forest management by sourcing PEFC-certified timber for your projects.
Codes & Standards Using PEFC-certified timber directly helps achieve Levels 3 to 6 of the Code for Sustainable Homes and plays a pivotal role in satisfying the acoustic and thermal requirements of Part L and Part E of the Building Regulations and Excellent/Outstanding BREEAM ratings. 5
Influence your industry – protect the environment The construction industry is the largest buyer of timber products – this means the sector has a huge influence on the type of timber in demand. This sector can help increase the level of sustainable products by demanding PEFCcertified timber at all times. This gives a clear market signal that only timber from legal and sustainably managed sources is acceptable. To comply with some public sector procurement policies, the use of certified timber is mandatory and PEFC-certified materials are accepted by the UK Government’s own timber policy developed by the Central Point of Expertise on Timber (CPET – see www.cpet.org.uk). UKCG - Demonstrating Environmental Commitment The UK Contractors Group (UKCG) is at the forefront of promoting best practice in construction and the sourcing of sustainable timber for the UK construction industry. It is the primary association for main building
contractors operating in the UK, representing over thirty leading companies including Balfour Beatty, Keepmoat, Galliford Try, Skanska UK and Willmott Dixon. Between them, UKCG members account for £33 billion of construction turnover – a third of the UK’s construction total output. The UKCG timber procurement guidelines stipulate all timber products purchased for either temporary or permanent use on UKCG member sites should be certified as legally and sustainably sourced, as defined by CPET. The UKCG policy commits members to: “support and give preference to procuring products which are able to demonstrate compliance with a recognised responsible sourcing scheme, certified by a third party”. CPET currently approves two certification schemes as providing evidence of legal and sustainable sourcing – PEFC and FSC (Forest Stewardship Council). This UKCG decision gives clear and transparent preference to products that demonstrate compliance with responsible sourcing schemes and which are certified by a third party. To maintain an unbroken chain of custody, all members of the UKCG have committed to a common reporting method which requires documentary evidence of certified timber.
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EUTR – responsible sourcing and supply The European Union Timber Regulation (EUTR) entered the statute book in March 2013 and prohibits the placing of illegally harvested timber on the European market. It sets out requirements that companies within the European Union (EU) must meet to minimise the risk of illegal timber being traded. More specifically, the Regulation requires companies placing timber or timber products on the European market (both imported and domestic) for the first time to implement a Due Diligence System (DDS). Companies trading wood products within the EU are responsible for keeping records of their suppliers and customers to allow for traceability. The EUTR Guidance document contains criteria that companies may use to assess the credibility of a third-party certification system such as PEFC. PEFC fulfils these EUTR requirements for third-party certification systems. The 2013 PEFC Chain of Custody standard with its integral PEFC Due Diligence System (PEFC DDS) is fully aligned with the EUTR. (PEFC ST 2002: 2013 Chain of Custody of Forest based Products) PEFC-certified timber is widely available in construction grade strengths from an extensive network of merchants and suppliers with a huge variety of softwoods and hardwoods available. PEFCcertified timber offers the widest choice of sustainable timber available to the construction sector, including Western Red Cedar, European Larch, Douglas Fir, European Redwood, Beech, Cherry, European Oak, American White Oak, American White Ash, Finnish Spruce and Birch with Dark Red Meranti, Majau, Mersawa, Merawan and Gerutu for windows and Balau, Red Balau, Kempas and Keruing for decking. 7
PEFC’s distinctive ‘green trees’ logo transcends language barriers making it a truly global brand. For further information about the PEFC programme in the UK visit: www.pefc.co.uk Photo credits: Atkins, Stewart Milne Timber Systems, B&K Structures, X-LAM Alliance, Donaldson Timber Engineering, PEFC Italia
PEFC UK Limited Sheffield Technology Parks Cooper Buildings Arundel Street Sheffield S1 2NS t 0114 307 2334 e info@pefc.co.uk www.pefc.co.uk
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PEFC/16-33-626