GO MODULAR
Green Credentials Prospectus
GO MODULAR is committed to protecting the environment
by manufacturing ENERGY-EFFICIENT houses
and leading the way to REDUCE COշ EMISSIONS
in construction through the use of timber!
Timber and CO2:
Timber has the lowest C02 'cost' of all commercial building methods. A typical timber frame house saves, on average, four tones of CO2 compared with an equivalent traditional built house
The very act of growing timber benefits the environment. As they grow, trees absorb a large amount of C02 from the surrounding atmosphere, storing it within their trunks, branches, and leaves. This C02 would otherwise be free as a damaging greenhouse gas.
The Impact of Timber On Our Planet:
Timber has a natural thermal insulation effect, preventing heat energy from escaping.
The insulating effect provided by timber-frame buildings (alongside the thermo-insulation between the timber studs) means that significantly less energy is required to heat the home resulting in less energy being used. As well as being environmentally safe, it also saves plenty of money for the property owner.
Therefore, building homes from timber is environmentally and economically beneficial to the planet!
Manufacturing
off-site = Less Waste
It has been recognised that the waste generated by traditional methods of construction is, at least, 10% of all materials delivered to the site, due to damage, loss and over-ordering as well as off-cut waste.
This could be up to 30% of the total weight of building materials delivered to a building site in some cases. In the case of over-ordering, materials could very well end up in a landfill still in their packaging.
Wood is lighter in weight than materials like stone and concrete (which are used in traditional construction), meaning that transportation requirements are lower and resulting in less emissions from road, rail, air and sea!
In 2019 the UK government announced that it is looking to deliver an “infrastructure revolution”. As such it’s pressing ahead with its initiative to bring all greenhouse gas emissions to net zero by 2050. It is looking to transform the construction industry to become more productive, more sustainable and more internationally competitive – with an emphasis on using data and more modern construction methods.
Only two years in, there are already calls for the government to provide more support and funding for the sector!
Modern Methods of Construction (MMC):
Advantages of timber frame construction:
Timber frame construction creates overall less waste in its production than either brick, plastic, concrete or steel; however, by combining this with offsite methods, the waste savings have even greater potential as sections of buildings are produced to precise requirements, only using exactly what is needed.
Wood is lighter in weight than materials like stone and concrete, meaning that transportation requirements are lower and resulting in less emissions from road, rail, air and sea.
Timber is totally non-toxic and does not break down into materials that could potentially damage the environment. When timber comes to the end of its lifespan, it is completely biodegradable!
PEFC, FSC and TRADA:
GM is committed to using sustainable methods of manufacturing. This means that we are a part of TRADA and that we only use wood that is FSC and PEFC certified. In other words, when manufacturing anything, we use wood that is “happy” and wood that will leave the planet happy too!
FSC (Forest Stewardship Council) is the world’s most trusted sustainable forest management solution. They are the original pioneers of forest certification and have 25 years of experience in sustainable forest management. FSC use their expertise to promote the responsible management of the world’s forests, bringing together experts from the environmental, economic and social spheres.
TRADA (The Timber Research and Development Association) is an international membership organization dedicated to inspiring and informing best practice design, specification and use of wood in the built environment and related fields. It is only natural then, that GM is a member of TRADA.
PEFC is an umbrella organization, and they endorse national forest certification systems that have been developed through multi-stakeholder processes and tailored to local priorities and conditions. PEFC work to protect forests by promoting sustainable forest management through certification.
The Environment and COP26:
During the COP26 Summit, the UK government launched the Breakthrough Agenda, at which 42 states committed to accelerate the use of clean technologies and sustainable solutions by 2030.
An important development was the Glasgow Leaders’ Declaration on Forests and Land Use, announced by the UK Prime Minister, Boris Johnson. This brought 110 countries together for a commitment to end deforestation by 2030. By using FSC grade timber, this is possible as for any trees cut, more are replanted!
When properly managed, timber is arguably the only 100% sustainable construction material, simply because with sustainable forestry practices there are at least as many new trees planted as harvested; the first step to greener construction products and greener construction overall!
