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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:

  1. 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.

  2. 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.

  3. 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:

  1. Designers should not be unnecessarily impeded in meeting the targets set out by the Committee on Climate Change aimed at decarbonising the construction industry.

  2. 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:

1

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Read our template response

(30 MINS)

2

Write to your MP using this template

(10 MINS)

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200 Responses! (updated daily)

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

Tom Jelley

Helena Howard

Jo Latham

Matthew Rosier, Chomko & Rosier Limited

Christel Lechaux, C.F. Møller Architects

Lizzy Westmacott, ECD Architects

Alice Doyne-Ditmas

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

Anna Webster, Webb Yates

Benni Allan, EBBA Architects

Holly Gardner, Apt

Gareth Mason, Stora Enso

Simon Smith, Smith and Wallwork

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

Martina Lucchese

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

Hannes Voss, Eurban

Andrea Carbogno, Carbogno Ceneda Architects

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

Adrian Manea, Manea Kella

Maryam Saleemi, LSA

Rochelle Belfon, 5th Studio

Mohna Jolly, Jolly Architects

Ben Hopkins, Bennetts Associates

Tabitha Binding

Aidana Roberts

Darren Jones, shedkm

Carrie Cavanagh, shedkm

Edward Pryce, shedkm

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

Marta Ferreira, LTS Architects

Charlotte Staton, MAP Architecture

Diana Dina, Haworth Tompkins

Nick Newman, U Build

Tiziana Di Ronco, Foster & Partners

Wyn Gilley, ArchitecturePLB

DID YOU SUBMIT A CONSULTATION RESPONSE?
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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. 

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