ePolitix.com speaks to Stewart Dalgarno, the new chairman of the UK Timber Frame Association about low carbon housing.

Question: What are your objectives for 2007 as newly appointed chairman?

Stewart Dalgarno: The UK Timber Frame Association is at a crossroads. 

Do we just concentrate on the existing market support and interest in timber frame construction among eco-builders, self builders, the affordable housing sector and the Scottish housebuilding market.

Or do we attempt to really spread the word more widely, growing market share in England and Wales and driving forward the low carbon housing agenda among more of the volume housebuilders?

I’m aspiring to the latter. 

Timber frame is just a short step away from becoming an entirely mainstream method of housebuilding in the South as well as other parts of the UK and the world. 

There has never been so much interest in what we have to offer.

Question: Why are housebuilders so interested in timber frame these days?

Stewart Dalgarno: I’d like to say that it is all down to interest in more environmentally sustainable ways to build, but it’s not just that.

The majority of housebuilders are under very strong pressure to hold their cost base.  This isn’t easy right now – materials and labour costs are rising, and the costs of innovation and demands imposed by Building Regulations are having an impact.  At the same time, affordability is a problem and this is capping selling prices.

I predict it’s going to be a pretty challenging economic period for the industry as a whole, particularly where you have got new influences like the carbon agenda coming through, and the cost of supporting the government’s targets to tackle climate change.

Against that sort of background, timber frame makes very good economic sense. 

Timber frame is already cost comparable to traditional brick and block construction methods. A comprehensive report by the National Audit Office in 2005 showed that timber frame delivers a financial boost to public and private sector developers in England and Wales of up to £35 per square metre.

Housebuilders have the capacity to build one additional house per week with exactly the same cost and resources if they swap to a modern method of construction such as timber frame.

Question: So what is your view on the government’s recent proposal to make all new homes "zero carbon" in 10 years?  How achievable is this?

Stewart Dalgarno: I totally support this view. It is the first time government has given a long term target which everyone can and will align towards.

It’s in tune with what the homebuying public want too.  Two recent polls have spelt it out loud and clear: 70 per cent of mortgage holders agree that new developments must be energy efficient, and a separate MORI poll showed that home owners are prepared to pay more to live in a sustainable home.

Developers need to respond to this demand, both political and social.  But they also need to ensure ‘buildability’ – a predictable, durable and low risk method of housebuilding that won’t create defects or problems for future generations. 

For such reasons, timber frame offers a really good solution.

There are no high risks associated with open panel timber frame, compared to traditional construction which is perceived to be at high risk of price fluctuations, delays due to bad weather, lack of key trade skills, service installation faults, health and safety hazards, construction errors and other defects at handover.

Timber frame construction is recognised around the world as one of the most environmentally sound, mainstream methods to build new homes that are also adaptable, durable and safe.

Question: So can timber frame deliver near-zero and zero carbon homes today?

Stewart Dalgarno: The timber frame industry in the UK is already developing the technology and building practices that will allow housebuilders to meet this target, and we believe that the use of timber frame makes it both commercially and technically feasible.

So I think achieving zero carbon by 2016 is ambitious... but we have the technology! 

In fact there are four advanced timber frame houses being built right now that will demonstrate low to near zero carbon standards. Stewart Milne Timber Systems and Kingspan Offsite are building such homes at BRE’s OFFSITE07 exhibition and the properties will be on view for the next two years.

This proves the technology is here and now.  The challenge is to progress this forward in volume to achieve the 2016 targets.

We will work with the government and the housebuilding industry to get there and to help manage the process of culture change that will inevitably entail.

Question: Fire on construction sites became a big issue last summer after the blaze in Colindale.  What has been done to reduce the risk of such an incident happening again?

Stewart Dalgarno: This is where the CDM regulations come into play big time. Once on site, managing the risk of fire on a very large and complex development like the one in Colindale last summer is the responsibility of the client and contractor.

Nonetheless, the timber frame industry is taking no chances to ensure that its products are used carefully and correctly. 

We have issued a new HSE-approved health and safety code of practice to our members, and have implemented a five point plan to raise awareness of CDM and provide enhanced fire protection measures.

We are also working with the fire brigade and the Fire Protection Agency to agree a specific risk assessment and checklist system for very large timber frame projects.

It’s about good practice more than anything else, but it will help to remind our clients about the need for appropriate risk management and suitable site conditions and security, and I think it will help improve conformity.

Question: How important to the UK is the timber frame industry?

Stewart Dalgarno: The sector is currently worth more than £425m per year, and thanks to the UK economy moving from stable to sustainable, it has been possible for our industry to achieve rapid growth in recent years.

Our interim market statistics will be published in April, but we expect to see that housing starts grew by about four per cent in 2006 in total, whereas timber frame achieved over eight per cent. 

With more than 50,000 timber frame units built in 2006 and our UK market share now over 20 per cent, this helps the UK save at least 150,000 tonnes of carbon.

That’s worth a great deal to any government looking to help tackle climate change.