Housing

Sustainability

We believe that we have a responsibility to future generations to do everything in our power to protect the planet. Forest CLT projects will be shining examples of sustainability in action, with low carbon footprints, low living costs and local supply chains. We want to create highly efficient homes and generate renewable energy on site, as well as enabling active, car-free lifestyles, composting and food growing.

Our target is to create net-zero carbon developments where we minimise embodied energy in the construction materials we use. This means selecting natural or recycled materials that don’t require a lot of energy (and therefore carbon) to make. Less concrete and steel; more timber, lime, and even hemp. We also want to explore modern methods of construction including off-site manufacturing and modular components. Craning factory-made walls (or even whole rooms) onto the site reduces waste, energy and the build time, which in turn reduces costs.

We use a framework called One Planet Living to help us address sustainability in every part of the project. This framework enables us to consider decisions we make in an integrated way, thinking about the environmental, social, and economic implications of what we do. For example, using building components made in a local factory could be more expensive, but it will use less energy to transport to site, and could provide a local person with a job. We will work towards ambitious accreditation standards, such as Passivhaus, to ensure that our vision delivers in practice. Passivhaus buildings are highly insulated and very airtight which means there are no cold draughts, and in some cases they do not even need central heating.

The built environment causes nearly 40% of UK’s greenhouse gas emissions, so it is crucial that we make a stand against sub par standards. Our approach to sustainability will be ambitious, setting a new standard that benefits the planet and but also our residents by keeping energy costs low to address fuel poverty. We also aim to improve the biodiversity of species and habitats wherever we build and believe living in harmony with nature can have a profound effect on our health and wellbeing. We want our project to give back to the planet rather than to diminish its ever-decreasing resources.

Learn more in our FAQs