A day of inspiring discussion, debates, presentations and learning, the 2026 UK Timber Design Conference addressed many of the key issues – and opportunities – facing today’s construction sector. From robotics and automation to the challenges facing timber housing, and from timber re-use to cutting-edge connection products – not forgetting design insights into fascinating timber structures – it was a conference packed with valuable information.
Welcoming a 200-strong audience of engineers, architects, designers and other timber-passionate professionals to 1 Birdcage Walk, David Hopkins kicked off this year’s conference with an energising opening address.
David (CEO of TDUK) left us in no doubt that the world has woken up to timber’s power. Forest cover in Europe is ever-increasing, its 232 million hectares accounting for 35% of its land area. However, while timber is sustainable, it isn’t an infinite resource. Meeting the needs of urbanization, decarbonization and housing demand means we have to make the most of all available wood species – and of each individual tree.
Michael Woodford, Alastair Ogle and Adrian Campbell discussed ways to use wood well – making the most of timber
No timber left behind!
Making the most of timber was a recurring theme of the day, perfectly exemplified by the day’s first presentation – about the Using Wood Well project. Adrian Campbell (Founder, changebuilding) and Alastair Ogle (Senior Associate, Waugh Thistleton architects) explained the valuable metrics they have developed which, as Adrian put it, allow designers to “make project-level decisions that address planetary boundaries”.
Soon to be made public as an interactive tool, it will allow designers to easily anticipate a design’s ‘wood use intensity’, biogenic storage, lifespan and other factors – and compare different wood products across typologies to provide sustainability and cost certainty at early project stages.
Of course, if we really want to make the most of timber, then we need to re-use it. A panel featuring Colin Rose (Founder, UKCLT), Ben Moss (Director, WSP) and Steve Peet (Associate Director, Engenuiti) provided three inspiring, different perspectives on timber reuse. “Our ambition is to commercialise,” Colin stated.
“We want to make it as easy as possible for designers to specify reused timber”
Colin Rose, UKCLT
It was clear that regrading timber is the biggest obstacle, but proactive enterprises such as YesMake and Ashwells Timber are providing solutions. Steve pointed to YesMake’s reuse warehouse, which reclaims timber from TV and film sets, as a great example of the way forward. Timber from TV’s ‘Bridgerton’ is among their reuse stock.
Claire Racine, Colin Rose and Ben Moss provided insights into the how to upscale timber reuse
Using timber in the right place for the right purpose
Michael Woodford (Director, White Arkitekter) then took the podium to introduce a healthcare project – the Velindre Cancer Centre – that demonstrated the virtues of using the right materials for the right job. The building uses glulam and CLT for the structure of its central area – or ‘Lolfa’ (the Welsh for ‘living space’) – but, being a healthcare facility, it could not be an entirely timber building.
That in itself determined the use of other embodied-carbon-reducing measures wherever possible on the project. Material mapping identified local materials to use. The walls used hempcrete blocks, finished with lime render, while local stone gabions were brought in for some of the façades.
“Decisions locked in during construction are hard to reverse,” Michael advised – his top tip for achieving a net zero carbon building – adding that appointing a dedicated net zero carbon coordinator role is crucial.
Timber – the answer to the UK’s housing crisis?
Housing has been cited as a top priority by the present government – with the oft-broadcast 1.5 million homes target currently a long way off. Conference attendees were treated to insights into how timber housing is more than equipped to deliver homes at scale.
The Stirling Prize-winning Goldsmith Street development has shown how timber frame clad in a familiar brick can deliver to Passivhaus standard at very economical prices per square metre.
James Turner (Associate Director, Mikhail Riches), was a lead architect on that project, and he explained how its success has led to further ambitious timber housing projects for York council. “Mixed tenure housing can be delivered very affordably in timber,” he asserted, pointing to GS8 as a forward-thinking developer for whom low embodied and operational carbon are highly marketable assets.
Neil Murphy (Director, Town) brought a unique perspective, as a sustainability-focused developer who has previously worked for the Treasury. The key to truly unlocking timber housing, he suggested, lies in the SME developers – not just the same old big companies. But he stressed the role that public or part-public institutions can play in funding innovation and taking risks.
Jay Morton made the point – shared by many speakers throughout the day – that sustainability shouldn’t come at a premium
“Doing the right thing shouldn’t cost more than doing the wrong thing!”
Jay Morton (Bell Phillips)
Fresh from being newly confirmed as the next RIBA President, Jay Morton (Director, Bell Phillips architects) made a rallying cry that doing the right thing shouldn’t cost more. She set out a manifesto of sorts for a “new vernacular” for low-carbon housing which would feature timber frame, biobased insulation and lime rendered facades which, when scaled up, could save 32.7 million kgC02e per year versus the conventional materials equivalent. That quality, sustainable buildings shouldn’t cost more than cookie-cutter unsustainable ones was a sentiment echoed by many of the day’s speakers.
Details, connections and technical deep dives
The UK Timber Design Conference was not all panels and presentations – far from it. There were valuable CPD sessions, from sponsors, partners and invited guests, including essential learning about the UK C16 Campaign, robust forestry certification from the PEFC, and timber and the circular economy from Charlie Law (Sustainable Construction Solutions).
Francesco Martinelli, from Rothoblaas, explained what today’s timber connections are capable of
Andy Heyne (Founding Director, Heyne Tillett Steel) wowed the breakout room with a very technical deep dive into the structural engineering behind some highly ambitious projects, including the Xylo building – set to be the UK’s largest timber frame office building.
He provided useful suggestions on moisture management, fire testing and grid layouts, delivering a real masterclass for the engineers present.
We also heard from Rothoblaas, one of the day’s sponsors, who gave insights into the capabilities of today’s cutting-edge timber connections. Francesco Manni, Rothoblaas’ Technical Consultant, emphasized the simple credo of using “the right material for what you’re trying to achieve”. He introduced several connectors that interact ingeniously with different materials, including the Alumega, the Ring90C and the Multipanel Joint Ring 60T, to best provide for easy connectivity and – ultimately – disassembly.
Timber and technology
“There’s nothing like a big crisis to force us to move forward” was the attention-grabbing provocation from Trudi Sully (Director of Industrialised Construction, Mott MacDonald) that launched the day’s panel on timber and tech, which she chaired. Covid was one such upheaval, and the current geopolitical situation is another.
The panel had a refreshingly varied take on new technology’s impact, and how it can be harnessed. “We want to make the technology to make timber mainstream – and cost is key,” stated Gilles Retsin (Co-Founder, AUAR). Very much at the hardware end of the spectrum, AUAR specialize in the use of robotics. “Timber has a logistics problem,” Gilles suggested, “Labour availability is a massive problem, and use of robots can plug the skills gap.”
Gilles Retsin, Tim Garner and Chloe Donovan shared three different perspectives on technological innovation using timber
Products such as ADEPT – the digitally fabricated timber frame system from Natural Building Systems – are also a boon to a de-skilled construction sector, as Chloe Donovan (Managing Director, Natural Building Systems) explained, as it can be installed by non-specialist labour. A digital ID is embedded in each panel, to future-proof them for disassembly. “We’re optimizing the system’s design to make the most of timber’s natural properties,” Chloe said.
On the subject of future-proofing, Andrew Cowan (UK & Ireland Team Leader, One Click LCA) was vocal about digital product passports. “They’re going to become incredibly important,” he said. “Ultimately, they will fit into any regulations that come along in the future.”
Timber designers – ahead of the curve
The panel were impressed when the whole audience raised their hands in response to the question “Does anyone know what an EPD is?” (And if you don’t know what an Environmental Product Declaration is, there’s no need to feel embarrassed: just read our article.) Our speakers were unanimous in celebrating how well-informed the timber sector is – and the construction industry in general – when it comes to technology and sustainability. 
It’s really encouraging that, compared to many other industries, the timber supply chain is well ahead of the curve on the important changes the world is facing today. That was extremely clear across the whole conference – proof that timber practitioners are trailblazers in thinking and acting creatively to build better all round.
Many thanks to all of our speakers and panelists for contributing to such an inspiring and insightful conference. Thanks also to our sponsors and exhibitors, without whom the day could not have taken place: Swedish Wood; PEFC; One Click LCA; Knapp Connectors; Vastern Timber; Ligno Trend; and Timber Innovation from Baden-Württemberg.
