Grow your own homes

Grow your own homes

A new drive is underway to maximise the potential of Welsh timber in housing and construction. Rachel Moxey and Dainis Dauksta explain the potential benefits

Imagine a project where you can take a seed and plant it. Watch it grow into a tree, nurture it, harvest it and use the wood to build a new family home – all within 150-mile radius. Imagine then lots of trees with lots of people nurturing them, working for harvesting companies, working for new and existing companies making timber frame and modular housing resulting in the creation of many new homes and jobs.

A unique opportunity exists to do just this on our own doorstep – using Welsh timber to grow Welsh Homes and possibly export to other parts of the UK that currently import their timber from Scandinavia. The Welsh Government is working in partnership with Wood Knowledge Wales, SOSAVI and RSLs in Wales to make this happen.

The catalyst

The catalyst came from the Valleys Regional Park (VRP) Partnership, which was established to stimulate socio-economic regeneration in the Valleys based on natural environment and heritage assets. Led by the Welsh Government, the VRP pilot aims to create ‘a dynamic construction ecosystem – using homegrown softwoods for the benefit of the economy, society and the environment’, an approach that could roll out to the rest of Wales.

What will it do?

It will create crucial jobs in rural areas, help development of local timber supply chains and create jobs in the manufacturing and construction sectors. It hits all the right buttons in terms of low carbon, sustainability and the creation of homes from sustainable sources.

So what is preventing this from happening?

Firstly let’s dispel a few myths about Welsh timber. There are many misguided perceptions held by construction companies and housing developers (RSLs and the private sector) reducing the likelihood of purchase and use.

Lacks quality and strength? Welsh softwood timber was grown to provide pit props for deep mines. If it can hold up a mile of rock… Little research has been carried out about the physical properties of Welsh softwoods, so most judgments have been subjective. Welsh grown Sitka spruce is stronger than Scottish spruce and sawmiller BSW Timber in Newbridge on Wye produces 50,000 cubic metres of strength-graded spruce every year. Welsh larch is being strength graded now and the latest research shows that this high performance timber could make C30 grade[1], on a par with the highest grade imported softwoods. Wales has some of the largest Douglas firs growing in Europe. Best Welsh-grown Douglas fir timber is truly world class.

Expensive? Welsh softwood log prices have been cheaper than the rest of Europe including Scotland and Ireland for many years. During the 1990s the Baltic States revived their export trade with Britain by flooding the market with cheap softwood, making home grown softwoods uncompetitive temporarily. Furthermore the pound was very strong for many years adversely affecting all manufacturing industries. This situation has changed now that the ex-Soviet states have normalised their trading practices and the pound is weak.

Availability? The Welsh forest is capable of sustainably producing one million tonnes of softwood every year. That’s more than enough to supply current and future estimated construction demands. BSW Timber alone produces enough structural timber for up to 10,000 houses every year depending on house design. Large volumes of larch will be produced over the next few years because of disease spreading through Welsh larch forests.

Mortgages and insurance? A major research project in 2000 demonstrated that timber frame construction could be used safely for buildings up to eight storeys high. Wales led the world at this time and developers built six-storey residential accommodation with no problems from insurers. Timber frame construction makes up 70 per cent of Scottish and around 28 per cent of Welsh housing starts; this would be impossible without the agreement of funding, certification, warranty and insurance providers.

A few little known soundbites:

• Welsh softwood forests grow enough timber to build one house every 10 minutes; it is one of the best environments in Europe for growing conifers.
• Some of Wales’ leading forest practitioners and academics since World War Two have suggested that the Welsh economy could be based on forestry, timber production and value added manufacturing using Welsh softwoods.
• Conifer forests can safeguard biodiversity. Both the native Welsh red squirrel and red kite populations survived in Welsh Sitka spruce forests. Many native species are able to live in conifer plantations.

And some scary facts we may not like to admit to

• UK construction produces 35 per cent of landfill waste
• The UK is the third largest timber importer in the world (imports nearly as much as Japan)
• Annual timber consumption is 14 million cubic metres, value £8 billion. Japan\’s government has set a target of 50 per cent self-sufficiency in timber within 10 years. The UK will then be the world\’s second largest timber importer.

What has been done?

In 2013 the Welsh Government commissioned the Wales Forest Business Partnership and Wood Knowledge Wales to identify the range of timber construction systems or techniques that are available for use in Wales and the extent to which Welsh-grown softwoods can be used in their production. It concluded that:

‘There are now few technical barriers to wholesale adoption of timber construction systems in Wales using home grown softwoods. It is possible to build structures in strength graded home grown softwood certainly to six and probably eight storeys right now. … The potential that can be derived from timber engineering and innovation is clear and the growing number of exemplar projects around the country confirms the increasing interest and mounting enthusiasm to fully explore the possibilities and capabilities of home grown softwoods in construction.’

At the same time, the VRP commissioned SOSAVI through Groundwork Wales to identify opportunities to create markets for Welsh timber in housing in South East Wales. It talked to key partners such as RSLs and major house builders about their planned programmes of development to identify market and job opportunities. It also examined the reasons why housing developers (RSLs and private house builders) were not using Welsh timber in their developments.

SOSAVI identified a number of opportunities based on the development programmes of these housing associations. These can be seen in the Job Creation Ecosystem below[2]. It also highlighted good practice shown by RSLs in the development of housing developments using Welsh Timber and in the support programmes they had developed to enable residents to access job opportunities on the back of investments. Recommendations highlighted how these opportunities could become reality through positive partnership (particularly between Welsh Government departments, key technical specialists and both social and private sector housebuilders.

SOSAVI Job Creation Eco-system

Potential job creation opportunities exist in forest creation, management, harvesting, milling and specialist manufacturing and construction, presenting a diverse range of options and related training developments in Wales in both rural and urban areas.

UK construction is worth £80 billion per year or 10 per cent of GDP. The opportunities for export with the right drive are therefore enormous.

Outcomes

SOSAVI’s recommendations resulted in the establishment of the Welsh Timber in Housing (WTH) Group. This group comprises representatives from the Welsh Government, Natural Resources Wales, Wood Knowledge Wales, Centre for Regeneration Excellence Wales and a growing number of RSL partners from across the South Wales Region (Merthyr Valleys Homes, Melin Homes, RCT Homes, United Welsh, Bronafon Homes and V2C). WTH is now working on a number of work packages to help the programme to gain momentum:

• Promoting the use of Welsh timber in housing and construction
• Working up innovative funding models
• Developing demonstrator pilots (collaboration with RCT Homes)
• Support for targeted recruitment and training
• Developing training provision to help local people access job opportunities.

Carl Sargeant, minister for housing and regeneration, said: ‘The Welsh Government is determined to develop innovative solutions to address poverty and create jobs. We have an opportunity here to stimulate economic growth in Wales in a way which not only creates jobs in construction but also addresses demand for sustainable housing and facilitates the sustainable management of our valuable forest resource.

‘Our Programme for Government clearly sets out our commitment to joined-up working across the whole of government. This is exemplified in this initiative, where a cross portfolio working group has been established to drive it forward.’

What will be done?

The Wales Forest Business Partnership, supported by SOSAVI, will lead the work of WTH. The group is now well established with new members showing interest in becoming involved.  A number of activities are planned over the coming months:

Changing perceptions

WTH will work closely with Welsh Government Supplier Development Services for the delivery of supply chain events such as meet the buyer to assist the sector in informal networking and through showcasing products and services.

WTH will also develop a ‘mythbusting’ marketing campaign to change perceptions about Welsh Timber, increase visibility and market share, whilst working with RSL partners to encourage the positive word of mouth marketing that we all know works best of all.

Demonstrating effectiveness

A pilot programme is being developed with RCT Homes, for 40-unit housing development at Spring Tree Court, Church Village with the proposal to use Welsh sourced timber frames.  Andrew Freeguard, development and new business manager at RCT Homes said: ‘RCT Homes wholeheartedly supports the work of WTH. It makes great economic sense to source locally, build locally and employ locally. At RCT Homes we have invested in many projects supporting these principles. WTH takes things several stages further by growing, creating, building and employing in Wales. If our pilot helps to demonstrate the quality and cost effectiveness of Welsh timber to the rest of the housing sector in Wales, then we are happy to take a leading part.’

Funding

Key individuals within the group are looking at funding issues (eligibility for social housing grant) and innovative funding models to catalyse work and increase sustainability.

Social return on investment

WTH is developing a toolkit (based on the Can Do Toolkit approach) to maximise opportunities for local people at all stages in the timber growth and development process. Key training and employability partners are also being engaged to support the development of provision to ensure that local people are engaged, develop skills and secure employment in the sector.

We will continue to work with WHQ to let you know how we get on and what results from our collaboration. In addition we will be speaking about our progress at CIH Cymru’s ‘The Only Way is Green’ event in Autumn 2014. In the meantime, if you are interested in getting involved or learning more about the work of the WTH Group please contact Rachel Moxey – rachel@sosavi.co.uk or Dainis Dauksta – dainis.dauksta@woodknowledgewales.co.uk.

Rachel Moxey is a social regeneration specialist and co-owner of SOSAVI. Dainis Dauksta is an independent researcher and consultant for Wood Knowledge Wales.A copy of SOSAVI’s report for VRP can be found on their website at www.sosavi.co.uk. A copy of the Welsh Softwoods in Construction report can be found at www.wfbp.co.uk/publications/default.htm. Images are reproduced by permission from Dainis Dauksta, SOSAVI and Kaden Klingbeil Architects (e3 Berlin).