Timber Square is a new development that will transform a huge slice of Southwark, London and is set to use significant amounts of PEFC certified material to provide a sustainable building to address both construction and operational carbon emissions.
The scheme comprises of an extended 1950s printworks and a new 15-storey building. The Print and Ink buildings are being transformed by developer Landsec working alongside main contractor Mace and architects Bennetts Associates. Timber Square will offer 380,000sq ft of Grade A office space centred around a new public square and retail space.
Timber will play a major part in the drive to deliver this leading-edge, net zero development. Timber Square will retain 80% of the existing structures and reuse many elements of the existing printworks building wherever possible. The Timber Square project has an overall embodied carbon KPI of 522kgCO2/m2. As part of the sustainability strategy to remain below this figure a hybrid steel frame and a cross laminated timber (CLT) structure will be used. This hybrid solution will save 6250 tCO2e, equating to 241kgCO2e/m2 and will play a huge role to help achieve a c.50% reduction in CO2 during construction compared to a typical office build.
Once complete, it will become one of the most significant commercial developments in the UK to use a hybrid steel/concrete and timber structure to deliver a highly sustainable, energy-efficient space. Located near Bankside, with many connections for walking, cycling, and public transport, Timber Square should be complete by the end of 2025. The scheme is targeting BREEAM Outstanding, Well Core Platinum and NABERS 5* minimum.
An additional aim is securing PEFC Project Certification for the use of approximately 33,730m2 of responsibly sourced CLT that will go into the buildings. “This is set to be a fabulous development and we are excited that a PEFC Project Certification option is being explored for the CLT elements,” said John Kirkby, Executive Director PEFC UK. “Mass timber is central to sustainable construction and the majority is from PEFC certified European forests, so this is a simple, cost-effective solution to show the scheme has the highest environmental credentials. Many contractors involved on-site may not have their own chain of custody certification, so Project Certification allows them to operate under the ‘umbrella’ of the main contractors’ certification, as long as all of their activities are confined to the certified site. It also really boosts the profile of the scheme as an exemplar project globally.”
Article source: PEFC Project Certification at Timber Square – PEFC
