The Future of Timber Construction

Timber construction, used for centuries throughout history, is now experiencing a renaissance as a modern, sustainable, and efficient building solution. Growing pressure to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and the overall carbon footprint of the construction industry has led to a search for materials with clear environmental benefits. As a renewable natural resource with excellent thermal insulating properties, wood is gaining increasing attention in both residential and larger-scale developments.

In this blog post, we explore key insights from the recently published document Budoucnost Dřevostaveb (The Future of Timber Construction) — prepared by the Timber Construction Task Group of CZGBC. The document outlines the environmental, technological, and the economic benefits of timber construction, addresses common myths about building with wood, and emphasises the role of sustainable timber structures in achieving low-carbon, circular building practices.

Authors: Robert Jára, Pavel Horák, Zdeněk Černošek, Benjamin Hague, Aleš Erber

Read the full report here:

https://www.czgbc.org/files/2025/03/e04b0f5ff7b1aee129827316f251141d.pdf

About the timber construction task group

The Timber Construction Task Group is committed to supporting the transformation of the Czech construction industry into a more circular and environmentally sustainable sector. 

Its approach centres around resource conservation, promoting the reuse of building components, the use of secondary raw materials, and the integration of renewable resources wherever possible. Ensuring consistent product quality and minimising environmental impact are key priorities.

To support this mission, the group created Budoucnost Dřevostaveb as both a strategic framework and a source of inspiration. Offering guidance to professionals and decision-makers who are rethinking how we build for a better, greener future.

Advantages of timber construction

Environmental benefits

Timber buildings offer significant advantages for sustainable construction, making them an attractive alternative to traditional building systems. Key environmental benefits include carbon storage, the use of renewable materials and easy recyclability. These features support efforts to reduce the environmental footprint of the construction industry.

However, to truly meet the goals of sustainable building, each project must be evaluated individually, taking into account the building type, whether it’s a renovation or a new build and other key parameters. A holistic approach is essential, combining the right materials rather than relying solely on one.

For example, buildings with load-bearing steel or concrete structures that have not reached the end of their life cycle may be better suited for renovation and reuse rather than demolition. In such cases, timber can play a vital role by integrating wood-based non-load-bearing components such as prefabricated timber panels for façades or interior partitions.

Wood is a powerful tool for meeting climate targets, and its application shouldn’t be limited to primary structures. Using wooden elements throughout the building, including interior finishes and secondary structures, can further enhance sustainability.

Wood as a renewable resource

Wood is a natural, renewable resource that, when managed responsibly, can remain available over the long term. Unlike the extraction of mineral resources, which are finite and often cause irreversible environmental damage. Sustainably managed forests represent a continuous, regenerative cycle. This is especially important in the face of climate change and the growing push to reduce our reliance on non-renewable building materials.

In the Czech Republic a shortage of basic construction materials is expected within the next decade. No new quarries or sand pits have been opened since 1991, and over half of the existing ones are likely to cease operations in the next 10 years. Starting extraction at a new site, or extending an existing one, is a complex process that can take more than a decade to complete.

Even recycling efforts won’t be enough to fully replace natural resources. According to the Czech Association for the Development of Recycling in Construction (ASRM), even at the highest possible recycling rates (30–50%, or 1.5–2.5 million tons annually), recycled concrete and brick materials would only replace 10–15% of the current annual demand for natural aggregates in concrete production.

All of this highlights the urgent need to transition to sustainable, renewable building materials. Choosing wood supports environmentally conscious construction and offers a responsible path towards the future.

Carbon capture

Wood, as a building material, has the unique ability to store carbon throughout its entire lifecycle. As trees grow, they absorb carbon dioxide (CO₂) from the atmosphere and store it as carbon in their biomass. This carbon remains locked in the wood even after the trees are harvested and processed, making timber products an effective way to reduce atmospheric CO₂ levels.

From this perspective, wooden construction elements act as long-term carbon storage. However, every building, including timber structures, should be evaluated holistically through the lens of life cycle assessment. Structures designed with recyclable components and materials that can be reused or repurposed at the end of their lifespan offer significant potential for environmental restoration and sustainability.

Wood’s natural carbon-sequestering properties, combined with thoughtful design and circular construction practices, make it a powerful tool in the fight against climate change.

Energy efficiency

Wooden structures offer excellent natural insulation, significantly reducing the energy demands of a building. Thanks to these properties, timber buildings are typically more energy-efficient than those made from conventional materials, especially when it comes to heating and cooling. This increased efficiency leads to lower operational energy consumption and contributes to the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions over the building’s lifetime.

While wood may have lower thermal mass compared to some materials, its superior insulation performance makes it an ideal choice for sustainable, low-energy construction.

Porous structure of wood

Unfinished wooden surfaces are best suited for indoor environments, where they are not frequently touched or exposed to heavy soiling. This is because the porous structure of wood can allow bacteria and viruses to accumulate more easily. To maintain hygiene and ensure easy cleaning, these surfaces should be treated with an appropriate protective finish that supports regular maintenance and sanitation.

Technological advantages of timber construction

Timber buildings offer a wide range of technological benefits that give them a competitive edge over traditional construction methods. Among the most significant are fast construction times, design flexibility, and the use of prefabricated components. A combination that delivers efficient, modern solutions for a variety of building types.

Fast construction

One of the key advantages of timber construction is its significantly shorter construction time, compared to conventional methods, particularly those involving wet processes such as masonry or monolithic concrete. Thanks to the possibility of off-site prefabrication a large portion of the construction work can be completed in controlled factory conditions, reducing on-site labour and delays.

This approach allows the assembly phase to take just a few weeks, whereas traditional construction can take several months. As a result, timber buildings offer a faster, cleaner and more streamlined path from design to completion.

Design flexibility

Wood is a highly adaptable building material, offering architects and designers the freedom to create diverse and innovative forms. Thanks to its structural properties, timber can be shaped into a wide variety of design elements, making it ideal for both creative and functional architecture.

Its lightweight nature makes it especially suitable for renovations, extensions, and vertical additions, where adapting to existing structural conditions is key. Timber’s flexibility allows buildings to be easily customised based on user needs, whether for single-family homes, multi-unit housing, or commercial projects.

Prefabrication

Prefabrication technologies greatly increase the efficiency of the construction process and their role in the building industry is only set to grow. Compared to other prefabricated systems, timber panels offer key advantages, especially their lightweight, which reduces transportation costs and simplifies on-site assembly.

Wooden prefabricated elements can be manufactured with high precision using automated production methods, minimising human error and ensuring consistent quality. Controlled factory environments also provide better quality assurance and eliminate delays due to weather, an issue that often affects traditional on-site construction methods.

Economic benefits of timber construction

The economic advantages of timber buildings are frequently discussed within the construction industry. In the case of single-family homes, publicly available data suggests that timber houses, depending on the construction system used, can be more cost-effective than traditional masonry homes. This is mainly due to lighter structural elements and shorter construction times. For multi-storey residential buildings, however, reliable data is currently lacking. 

A recent comprehensive analysis of 59 residential timber construction projects in the Netherlands, focusing on timber frame (HSB) and cross-laminated timber (CLT) systems, challenges common assumptions about the cost of building with wood. 

The study found that HSB or hybrid CLT-HSB houses are already cost-competitive with traditional construction, such as concrete-based systems. For multi-family housing up to four storeys, the total construction costs were comparable to conventional methods.

At least 11 of the 59 projects showed costs in line with traditional builds. On average, the remaining timber projects showed only an 8% cost premium, broken down as 4% for single-family homes and 12% for multi-unit buildings. Additional expenses, such as fire detection systems, acoustic insulation, vibration control and aesthetic enhancements, can contribute around 5% in extra costs. Other cost factors include transportation and stacking fees, particularly for CLT systems.

However, industrial-scale prefabrication has the potential to significantly reduce construction costs and risks. HSB-based projects are already highly competitive due to their ease of assembly, while CLT-based builds remain slightly more expensive but come with the added benefit of a lower carbon footprint.

When assessing the economic viability of timber construction, the study highlights the importance of considering factors beyond immediate construction costs, such as environmental impacts, future carbon taxes, and the benefits of faster project delivery, which can enable earlier occupancy and revenue generation.

A crucial question for the future is whether timber construction should be incentivised. Emerging trends and evolving sustainability assessment frameworks may support broader use of timber-based materials in both structural and non-structural components. However, it’s important to carefully evaluate whether subsidy programs should specifically target timber buildings or focus more broadly on sustainable construction based on clearly defined criteria.

Mandatory use of timber in certain building types

One potential strategy for increasing the share of timber construction is to introduce a requirement to use wood as part of the structural system, particularly in public buildings. 

At first glance, this approach could help strengthen the timber construction market without the need for direct subsidies, encouraging the broader adoption of wood as a sustainable building material in the Czech Republic.

It may be useful to evaluate the experience of Slovenia, where green public procurement is mandatory for 20 categories of public contracts, including the category “design or construction of buildings.” In certain projects, one of the criteria is the minimum use of 30% wood in construction.

However, it is important to carefully consider whether imposing a strict timber usage requirement for public buildings is the most effective way to support timber construction. 

An alternative could be a general requirement for sustainable buildings, evaluated using a clearly defined methodology. In this framework, wood could be recognised as a preferred material, but the building would be assessed holistically, without being limited by a predefined percentage of timber use.

Quality internal environment in buildings

One of the key reasons behind the growing interest in timber construction is its ability to create a pleasant and healthy indoor environment. As a natural material, wood not only offers aesthetic value but also actively contributes to comfort and well-being. Key factors include its visual and psychological impact, acoustic performance, and resistance to moisture, pests, and mould.

Aesthetics and psychological benefits

Wood brings a sense of warmth and harmony, which positively affects the mental well-being of building occupants. Its natural colour, grain, and texture create a cosy and inviting atmosphere while fostering a connection to nature, something especially appreciated in urban environments. This psychological effect can significantly enhance the quality of life for people living or working in timber buildings.

A study conducted by Stora Enso in cooperation with the Technical University of Munich identified ten reasons to build with wood, including its positive effects on health and well-being. For example, the research found that wood can help reduce stress levels and promote overall emotional balance.

Another study from Austria compared two classrooms, one fitted with wooden elements and the other with traditional materials like linoleum flooring and plasterboard walls. The results showed that students in the wooden classroom had lower heart rates and reported less perceived stress, indicating a calming effect of wood on the human psyche.

That said, it’s important to note that other factors, such as natural light, colour schemes, material combinations, indoor temperature, air quality and interior design, also play a major role in how we perceive the quality of indoor spaces.

Acoustic comfort

While timber has many advantages, its acoustic performance can pose challenges in certain applications. For example, wooden ceilings alone do not provide sufficient airborne or impact sound insulation. To achieve the desired level of soundproofing, additional insulation layers are often required.

An effective solution involves combining timber with complementary materials, such as impact sound insulation and a load-distributing floor layer that is acoustically separated from the structural elements. These multi-layered systems help timber buildings meet modern acoustic comfort standards by reducing noise transfer between rooms and floors.

Additionally, partition walls and ceiling systems can be enhanced with dry construction techniques, which have proven to significantly improve interior sound insulation and contribute to a more comfortable living environment.

Pest and mold resistance

To ensure the durability and long-term performance of timber buildings, it is essential to implement proper structural protection of the wood. This includes following best practices in design, respecting construction principles, and ensuring the structure is used and maintained correctly to prevent degradation.

Modern timber homes are designed with a high degree of resistance to pests and mould. Advanced protective treatments and building technologies are used to minimise moisture-related risks, one of the primary threats to wood over time. Carefully designed insulation systems and construction details further improve resistance to external conditions and extend the lifespan of timber structures.

However, it is important to note that prolonged or repeated exposure to moisture can accelerate the degradation of wood, posing a greater long-term risk than potential fire hazards. That’s why moisture management remains a critical aspect of designing resilient and healthy wood-based buildings.

Supporting the circular economy

Timber construction plays a vital role in advancing the circular economy in the building industry. As a renewable and reusable material, wood supports sustainable construction by reducing waste, extending the lifespan of buildings, and enabling easier renovation and adaptation.

The flexibility of timber structures allows for straightforward modifications and extensions, which can significantly prolong a building’s life. Prefabricated timber panels and modular systems are particularly well-suited for disassembly, relocation or reuse in other projects. Reclaimed wood can also be transformed into flooring, furniture, or architectural elements, giving the material a second life while reducing landfill waste and maximising its value across multiple applications.

Thanks to off-site prefabrication and precision manufacturing, timber buildings generate significantly less construction waste than conventional systems. In fact, modular timber construction can reduce on-site waste by up to 80% or more. 

A key principle of circular timber construction is the cascading use of wood: prioritising reuse, followed by recycling, and reserving energy recovery (such as bioenergy) as a last resort. This ensures that timber’s environmental value is maximised throughout the entire building lifecycle.

Conclusion

Timber construction today is not just a return to tradition; it is, above all, a response to the current challenges of modern building practices, from reducing emissions to the efficient use of resources. The document Budoucnost Dřevostaveb shows that wood holds a strong position in the ecological, technological, and economic transformation of the construction industry. 

But the topic extends beyond technical advantages. The next section of the document focuses on the role of wood in the Czech Republic’s political framework and raw material strategy. Our next blog post will dive into this section in more detail, exploring how government policy, public procurement, and strategic support for wood can help advance timber construction.