Development of timber construction in European countries: Drivers, barriers, and education

Abstract

For all of the European Union countries, the European Green Deal has set ambitious objectives to become climate neutral by 2050. The global challenge is to achieve prosperity and sustainable economic development while reducing energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions. All economic sectors must take action in order to achieve this goal. The construction industry has a large impact on fulfilling Green Deal objectives since it is one of the biggest consumers of finite natural resources and energy, as well as one of the biggest producers of carbon emissions and waste. The construction sector is under pressure to find and use alternative, sustainable, eco-friendly building materials, such as timber. However, despite the numerous benefits of timber, construction with timber is still not sufficiently developed in European countries. The aim of the research was to determine the main drivers and barriers to timber construction development across selected European countries. In addition, the education of the specialists, skill gaps, and required competencies were tackled. The research was based on a literature analysis and a questionnaire survey of the business companies. Analysis revealed that timber has numerous environmental, social, and economic benefits compared to traditional building materials such as steel or concrete. Major barriers to timber construction development are a lack of knowledge and skills, as well as concerns regarding fire safety and structural stability. A survey revealed that business companies lack skilled staff. To overcome this barrier, education in sustainable timber design and construction must be improved.