Articles:

Sadly, we don’t have a ‘truth serum’ but improving transparency and consistency of supply chain data improves productivity and planning.. At the moment, suppliers and contractors fix certain problems and course-correct without ever needing to be transparent.. We need a platform that integrates different data sets from different suppliers so we can see and trend what’s going on within the supply chain and create more formal accountability on information being reported..

Natural forests are complex biodiverse ecosystems that capture carbon, not just in trees but also within soil.A ‘tree plantation’ unlike a forest, may not enhance biodiversity and may have a reduced capacity to store carbon in the soil.. One major risk related to carbon accounting and forest management is that Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs) may not adequately account for the carbon released from decaying root net and from the soil when cutting trees.

This can be largely underestimated for most timber products.. We must also acknowledge that sustainable foresting cannot produce enough timber to respond to global construction needs.Engineered timber cannot substitute or offset the use of concrete and steel but its use should be prioritised in the right type of buildings.. Our response is to:.- Ensure timber specified is of a sustainable nature, by using PEFC or FSC certification schemes.. - Have a critical view about sustainable forest management and explore alternatives.. - Interrogate timber manufacturers on their root and soil carbon accounting.. Acoustic performance.

When designing with engineered timber special attention is required to reduce vibrations, noise transmission and reverberation time..The layered nature of engineered timber can improve acoustic compartmentation and if properly designed, does not need the same mass as concrete to achieve the same airborne sound resistance.

However, detailing is the main challenge and if not properly resolved it can generate sound flanking at the joints which is difficult to resolve without the use of wet trades.

Creating reliable diaphragm action through slabs when trying to achieve acoustic separation and control movement is also fraught with issues.. Other acoustic considerations include the noise from building services and potential increased reverberation time due to smooth surfaces.. Our response is to:.The goal of using carbon capture in conjunction with other greener methods like green hydrogen and greener electricity is one we should strive to include more in future projects.

Gabrielli and his colleagues are determined that the industry can be defossilised and that carbon capture is the key.For the sake of our planet, we must believe that too.

As we evolve our perspectives to consider how to coexist with our planet and not just take from it, we can see that industrial plastics have the potential to help make strides in reducing the carbon footprints of what we build, live in and use.This is, after all, the spirit of Bryden Wood; to challenge what exists for the sake of progress.