The Timber in Construction Steering Group’s final report and recommendations to increase the use of timber in Ireland has been published.

Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Martin Heydon brought the report to cabinet today (Tuesday, June 9).

The report summarises the group’s recommendations to increase the use of timber in construction in Ireland.

Minister Heydon said the report "highlights the excellent work and collaboration between government department, academia and industry bodies to unlock the full potential of our timber sector".

This can "support the use of timber in construction and the forest owners in Ireland", he said.

Roadmap

Minister of State at the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Niall Collins, said the recommendations are derived from the outputs of the group over the last two years.

"I would like to acknowledge the work of the chair Professor Owen Lewis, the steering group and over 60 stakeholders who gave their time to examine challenges and opportunities to increase the use of timber in construction," Minister Collins said.

"With a view to progressing the recommendations, my department will facilitate coordination across the lead departments who will be tasked with examining their implementation.

"Increasing the use of timber will also support our forest owners and develop markets which will help drive increasing afforestation in the future.

"Providing markets for timber is a driver of sustainable forest management and supports Ireland National Forest Strategy."

The Timber in Construction Steering Group was established in November 2023.

The group developed a forum for government and industry to work collaboratively to create the conditions to increase the use of timber in construction whilst ensuring the highest degree of building safety and property protection.

It also examined the regulatory and standardisation challenges aimed to maximise the use of home-grown timber in construction.

This new report provides a set of seven strategic recommendations for which specific implementation deadlines and responsible leads are outlined.

Three interconnected pillars connect these recommendations which include: regulation and standards; procurement and carbon policy; and innovation, training and adoption.

Recommendations

The report outlined that for regulation and standards, "clear guidance is essential if timber is to be adopted at scale in Ireland".

A key recommendation is the development of a national specification for the use of mass engineered timber in Ireland, to "provide consistency and clarity for designers, builders and regulators".

It is also recommended that an interim national centralised procurement arrangement of competent specialist advisors is established.

In relation to procurement and carbon policy, recommendations outline that government must "lead by example by designing and building in timber, assessing the viability of timber as a primary structural material in all projects at design stage and implementing this in construction".

In terms of innovation, training and adoption, a knowledge, development and innovation facility for the timber sector in Ireland should be established, the group said.

Additionally, the group said there should be support for the integration of timber as a fundamental component in the curriculum in architecture and engineering, "complemented by continuing professional development for practitioners acrossthe construction sector".

'Significant milestone'

Chair of the group, Professor J Owen Lewis, said this report "represents a significant milestone in Ireland’s transition to a low-carbon, resilient built environment".

"The strong collaboration across stakeholders reflects a shared understanding, that the need for increased housing can be achieved while addressing climate action demand through the use of timber," he said.

Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment, Peter Burke added that Ireland’s forestry is a "valuable resource - to reduce our emissions, innovate in our construction sector and create high-quality regional employment".

"The work of the Timber in Construction Group sets out the policy opportunities that will really drive a step change in our use of timber," Minister Burke said.

"It is a credible policy roadmap to unlock value-add in our timber sector, deliver housing through modern methods of construction and reduce the environmental impact of building."