Griffith University Workshop – Decarbonising the Building Industry
At the recent Decarbonising the Built Environment (DBI) workshop held at Griffith University, Matt de Jongh and Simon Dorries took the stage to address some pressing challenges facing the construction and timber industries: the need for transparency and trust when sourcing timber products. Both presenters emphasised the importance of third-party certification to the Responsible Wood Certification Scheme (RWCS), highlighting the critical role certification plays in ensuring the sustainability and integrity of timber sourcing.
Matt de Jongh presents at Griffith University’s Decarbonising the Building Industry Workshop
Building Trust through Certification
In a market where consumers, industry professionals, developers, and financial institutions increasingly demand proof of sustainability, third-party certification is playing a greater role and becoming a cornerstone of accountability. Matt and Simon both reinforced that certification is not just a label but a powerful tool that assures builders, architects, and consumers that the timber they use comes from sustainably managed forests.
“Transparency is everything,”
Matt remarked during his presentation.
“Without the assurance that third-party certification provides, the market is left vulnerable to greenwashing and unsustainable practices – which sustainable forestry is absolutely not.”
Third-party certification ensures that rigorous audits by accredited experts to globally endorsed standards back claims about sustainability. In the case of Responsible Wood and PEFC certification, these labels guarantee that forests are managed with consideration for biodiversity, carbon sequestration, and long-term forest health. The workshop provided a platform to discuss how certified labels help foster trust within the marketplace, from construction professionals to end-users, as they specify materials that contribute to a sustainable future.
Certified Timber’s Role in Lowering Embodied Carbon
As the building industry continues to seek ways to decarbonise, certified sustainable timber products are seen, certainly by the forest and wood products industry, as an essential part of the solution. Both presenters stressed the importance of looking beyond a building’s operational carbon savings and focusing on embodied carbon — the emissions of producing and sourcing materials.
Certified timber products from sustainably managed forests have a significantly lower carbon footprint than non-certified alternatives. Timber acts as a renewable resource and sequesters carbon throughout its lifespan. The industry can take meaningful steps toward reducing embodied carbon in buildings by ensuring that timber is sourced responsibly, with third-party certification validating sustainability claims.
Simon Dorries presents at Griffith University’s Decarbonising the Building Industry Workshop
Simon Dorries, Responsible Wood CEO, pointed out,
“Certified sustainable forest products play a critical role in our ability to reach our decarbonisation goals. The carbon stored in certified forest products, like engineered timber, and the trust built through certification create a unique opportunity for the timber industry to lead in sustainable construction.”
A Future Built on Sustainability
The future of the built environment is increasingly focused on sustainability, and timber products certified to the Responsible Wood and PEFC standards have an opportunity to be at the forefront of this transformation. As highlighted at the DBI workshop, the transparency and trust provided by third-party certification are non-negotiable in a marketplace striving for local procurement, lower carbon emissions and responsible sourcing.
With the growing awareness of embodied carbon and the need for sustainable materials, the importance of certified forest products will only continue to rise. Whether in constructing homes, commercial buildings, or large infrastructure projects, choosing certified timber is a tangible way to positively impact the environment while ensuring that forests are around for future generations.
