“Is timber the answer?”: Can the increased use of Cross-Laminated Timber assist in achieving the UK industry targets set out in Construction 2025?

Global construction is forecast to grow to over 70% by 2025. To place the UK at the forefront of this growth, the Government and industry created a joint strategy, ‘Construction 2025’, outlining key targets of; a reduction in costs; faster project delivery; a reduction in emissions; and a reduction in imports. Many key industry reports have criticised the industry’s lack of collaboration and poor productivity, suggesting little improvement is being made. To meet the Construction 2025 targets, it is suggested that radical change is needed. Timber, as a construction material, has progressed significantly over recent years, with Cross-Laminated Timber (CLT) growing in popularity. Focussing on the sustainability aspects of Construction 2025, this study aims to investigate if adopting CLT can contribute to the construction industry achieving the targets set. Using a questionnaire approach, a sample of industry professionals were surveyed to solicit their views on the use of CLT. An analysis of the data found that many construction professionals felt the onus is on clients to address these targets but that the adoption of CLT can contribute to the sustainable targets set out in Construction 2025.