The Sustainability Agenda

Decarbonising Construction

As global leaders grapple with issues surrounding climate change, the team at B&K Structures has consistently considered how to effectively lock up carbon and maximise the benefits of engineered timber technology for our clients and minimise the impact on our planet.

Engineered timber builds boast environmental benefits both in terms of raw materials and the numerous advantages associated with offsite construction. Using timber as a core structural component for developments across all sectors is already capturing over one million tonnes of CO2 through carbon sequestration every year.

Carbon sequestration describes the long-term storage of carbon dioxide (CO2) to mitigate global warming and avoid dangerous climate change. The natural process of carbon sequestration which occurs in trees enables each cubic metre of timber to store circa 900 kg of CO2 and hold captive during its entire lifetime – even when it has been processed for use in construction. Responsibly sourced timber has the capability to vastly reduce our dependency on concrete, decreasing global carbon emissions by 4-8%. Whilst the climate crisis can feel like a huge abstract issue to successfully resolve, here at B&K Structures we maintain that everyone has a collective responsibility to contribute to a better, more sustainable environment.

Solid wood products, such as cross laminated timber are natural and far less energy-intensive to produce and apply than alternative structural materials. Not only is it renewable, but the production process also creates minimal waste and all offcuts are recycled. For every cubic metre of CLT manufactured, 676 kg of CO2 will still be stored.

B&K Structures are not engineered timber purists. Our business model focuses on hybrid construction solutions. However, cross laminated timber is by far the most exciting revolutionary building material that will be significant in our future development plans. The UK has a magnificent heritage of timber architecture dating back to the thirteenth century and now the Time for Timber and Wood Co2sts Less campaigns are collectively promoting the benefits. B&K Structures are now building on this legacy using ground-breaking engineered timber systems to create a more sustainable future for generations to come.