Join us in opposing the Government’s proposal to ban the use of safe structural timber in the external wall of buildings with a floor above 11m
The UK Government recently held a consultation seeking views on the ban of the use of combustible materials in and on external walls of buildings, with any changes affecting every new residential building in the country with a floor above 11m (approx. 4 storeys). The consultation closed on Monday 25th May. We ran a campaign to encourage responses to the consultation with the guidance below.
SAFE STRUCTURAL TIMBER SHOULD BE EXEMPT FROM THE PROPOSED BAN.
Whilst we unreservedly support stronger measures regarding the safety of buildings, the current proposals unnecessarily impact the ability to build with timber as the primary structural material. This proposal comes despite a significant amount of UK innovation in the use of engineered timber systems such as glue laminated timber and cross laminated timber (CLT).
ACAN is concerned by the implications of this proposed ban on the UK’s ability to mitigate the climate emergency, as timber has a much lower embodied carbon than other commonly used structural materials or systems, including concrete, steel & masonry. Timber can sequestre large amounts of carbon from the atmosphere, storing it within the building for as long as it stands.
ACAN is calling for responses to the consultation from individuals and practices across the architectural profession and further afield.
ACAN support the Timber Trade Federation on the following key responses:
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Focus the ban on combustible cladding, as distinct from external walls. This will help provide the clarity needed for designers and specifiers to build better and safer.
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Take a science-based approach. Use BS8414 as the base for fire safety compliance, which was found to still be fit for purpose in the Hackitt Review.
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Align legislation with the Scottish approach. This will encourage a common regulatory approach throughout the UK improving clarity and safety.
In addition, ACAN's other key concerns are as follows:
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Designers should not be unnecessarily impeded in meeting the targets set out by the Committee on Climate Change aimed at decarbonising the construction industry.
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The government should recognise the significant contribution made by UK designers in fire-safe timber architecture, and these efforts should be supported through new regulations regarding safety.
Here's how you can help:
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Seb Laan Lomas, ACAN
Joe Giddings, Rock Townsend Architects LLP
Finbar Charleson, dRMM
Sophia Ceneda, Glenn Howells Architects
Hannah Towler, Studio Bark
Murtaza Rizvi, BDP
Jack Taylor, ACME
Thomas Hoepfner, Bright Forest Limited
Matthew Linegar, Stora Enso
Alastair Ogle, Waugh Thistleton Architects
Patrick Usborne, Perpendicular Architecture
James McCosh, van Heyningen and Haward
Greg Cooper, William Hare (Hybrid Structures)
George Mikurcik, Architype
Sam Turner, Webb Yates
Andrada Calin, Atkins
Urh Rucigaj Roberts
Adam Vaughan, JDDK Architects
James Thormod, MAP Architecture
Phil Bixby, Constructive Individuals
Will Marshall, dRMM
Sarah Madbouli
Fearghus Raftery, Hopkins Architects
Joanne Yu, Hopkins Architects
Will Mawson, MawsonKerr Architects
Tom Herre, David Chipperfield Architects
Chris Hopkinson, Chroma Photography
Will Young, WYDE
Robert Mawson, MAP Architecture
Robert Young
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Meredith Bowles, Mole Architects Ltd
Emma Nsugbe, Hopkins Architects
Rebecca Sawcer, Waugh Thistleton Architects
John Pratley, Gardner Stewart Architects
Luke Pawlina, Waugh Thistleton Architects
Andrew Macintosh, Fielden Fowles
Iva Stanisheva, AFK
Josh Haywood, WATG
Claudia Titley
Jonathan Falkingham, Urban Splash
Laura Nica, dRMM
Keith van Loen, vanloen photography
Tessa Devreese, C40 Cities
Greta Jonsson, 100percentplus
Ashley Kirk, Gamma Architects
Georgina Thomas, Tilhill
Rallou Grigoropoulou, Curl La Tourelle Head Architecture
Oliver Neve, Ramboll
Tom Bennett, Studio Bark
Giles Bruce, A-Zero Architects
Tom Cuthbert, BBM Sustainable Design
Jerome Le Dorze
Sara Edmonds, Studio seARCH
Findlay McFarlane, dRMM
Patrick Osborne
Rob Wheaton, Stride Treglown
Taylan Tahir, MATA Architects
Amos Goldreich, Amos Goldreich Architecture
David Maguire
Zuzana Sojkova, SCABAL
Kieran Leigh-Moy, RTS Forestry
Charles Law. Sustainable Construction Solutions Ltd
Fergus Knox, Knox Bhavan Architects
Ben Allen, Studio Ben Allen
Nic Crawley
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Gareth Mason, Stora Enso
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Damien Poblete
Dan Hill
Alice Hamlin, Mole Architects
Juliet Bidgood
Stuart Macalister, Heatherwick Studio
Anna Lisa McSweeney, ACAN
Ashley Hinchcliffe, Reed Watts Architects
Robin Nicholson, Buckland Timber
Paul Menadue, IBI Group
Gintare Stonkute, Baca
James Whiteley, The University of Sheffield
Richard Hooker
James Goldberg, Penoyre & Prasad
Tyler Bollier, dRMM
Ross King, A-Zero Architects
Nikoloz Japaridze, Architects of Invention
Serg Rastyagaev, METAFORM
Georgia Marsh, University of Sheffield
Sigita Burbulyte, Foster + Partners
Tom Parker, The University of Sheffield
Tom Bulmer, Fathom Architects
Charlotte Booth, BE Design
Andrew Rowson, National Trust
Lionel Real de Azúa, Red Deer
Liam Powell, Eurban
Joshua Slingsby, Eurban
Harry Tuke, Jessop & Cook Architect
Daniel Itten, David Chipperfield
Frederich Ludewig, ACME
Jack Minchella, Dark Matter Labs
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Ben Pollock
Laura Battey, Heyne Tillett Steel
Mike Storey, MSMR Architects
Catherine Shaw, MSMR Architects
Sarah Newine Moore, Eurban
Seb Birch, Hooke Park
Simon Chung, Sow Space
Matteo Sarno, 5th Studio
Emily Seymour-Taylor, TAS Architects
Alan Dowdall, Ramboll
Katie Miller
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Rachael Owens, Buckley Gray Yeoman
Mandeep Singh, Mikkelsen Architects
Charley Brentnall, Xylotek
Giles Wheeldon, Ian Chalk Architects
Kabir Singh, Kabir Singh Arts
Eve Choy, HASSEL
Melissa Hitchcock, Burns Guthrie and Partners
Rosie Murphy, Architype
Mark Parsons, Studio Polpo
Luke Matone, Morris+Company
Sam Clough, Orme Ltd
Daniel Ash, MAP Architecture
Xavier Smales
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Maryam Saleemi, LSA
Rochelle Belfon, 5th Studio
Mohna Jolly, Jolly Architects
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Tabitha Binding
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Darren Jones, shedkm
Carrie Cavanagh, shedkm
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Richard Collis, Feilden Clegg Bradley Studios
Antonia Alexandru
Rob Whitlock, Syte Architects
Samuel Letchford
Cass Golding, Waugh Thistleton
Tim Riley, RCKa
Julen Perez Santisteban, Waugh Thistleton
Sarah Broadstock, Studio Bark
Alex Dale-Jones, shedkm
Toby Carr, Falmouth University
Jonathan Irawan, Hassell
Anna Woodeson, Climate Emergency Camden
Geoff Morrow, StructureMode
Richard Golding, Gleeds
Owen Jowett, Maccreanor Lavington
Kyle Reid
Etienne Marès
Matthew Pembery
Colton Newbury, S&P
Steven Msowoya, BDP
Janet Huang
Kieran Walker, Waugh Thistleton
Mariana Aguiar, UPP Architecture
Tiejo Keppler, Arcadis
George Brazier
Karl Claydon, Claydon PDP
Dinah Bornat, ZCD Architects
James Palmer, Mitchel Eley Gould
Duncan Cox, Thornton Tomaset
Elena Pardo, Mitchel Eley Gould
Cian Ushioda, Waugh Thistleton
Nick Blomstrand, LTS Architects
Oscar Emanuel, Xylotek
Mario Vieira, Scott Brownrigg
Kelly Harrison, Heyne Tillett Steel
Lee Bartholomew, Orme Ltd.
Christopher Boyce, Assorted Skills & Talents *
Sam Brown, MAP Architecture
Otis Sloan Brittain
Janna Laan Lomas, Grain Architecture
Emily Norman
Anastasia Orphanidou, 5th Studio
Alex Johnstone
Robin Turner, RCKa
Alex Billingham, FCB Studios
Karim Rouabah, Stride Treglown
Hwei Fan Liang
Cordula Weisser, ZCD Architects
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Charlotte Staton, MAP Architecture
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Nick Newman, U Build
Tiziana Di Ronco, Foster & Partners
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ACAN!
ACAN is a network of individuals within architecture and related built environment professions taking action to address the twin crises of climate and ecological breakdown.