Timber, retrofit, and reuse – insights from our expert panel discussion
On March 20th, we hosted a panel discussion ‘Transforming spaces with timber: exploring retrofit and reuse for design’ at Material Source Studio in Glasgow. We had four speakers from backgrounds of architecture, technical research, and sustainable design, while David Smalley, Director of Material Source, facilitated the discussion. With increasing focus on sustainability in the built environment, the conversation tackled misconceptions of timber, market challenges, and covered actionable tips to design with reuse and the circular economy in mind. From regulatory hurdles to timber skyscrapers, here’s what we learned.
An evening at Material Source Studio
This was our debut event at Material Source‘s Glasgow Studio, where we recently joined as a partner. The space provides an inspiring environment where industry professionals can experience our timber products firsthand and attend a variety of events or meetings. The evening was attended by a full house of architects, designers, and industry professionals, eager to explore timber and sustainable design. It was fantastic to see such high engagement from the audience, with thoughtful questions and lively discussions throughout the evening. A huge thank you to everyone who attended – we hope you enjoyed it!
Meet the panel
- Katherine Adams – Co-founder and director of Reusefully, focused on material reuse at the end of a building’s life.
- Matt Stevenson – Founder of ECOSystems Technologies, recognised industry leader in digital construction technology and low carbon building designs.
- Gareth Davies – Head of Technical and R&D at Russwood, specialising in timber performance, modification, and durability.
- Andrew Hadden – Associate Architect at HLM Architects and President of the Glasgow Institute of Architects (GIA), Andrew is an advocate of mass timber in design.
Addressing misconceptions about reclaimed timber
The discussion opened with a Slido question for the audience on common misconceptions about reclaimed timber.
- Andrew pointed to the challenge of demonstrating compliance when specifying timber in modern projects.
- Matt highlighted that homegrown timber is often underestimated for engineered products, despite its proven performance.
- Katherine noted that while reclaimed timber aligns with circular economy principles, current infrastructure does not yet fully support cost-effective reuse. “We are not stacked up to be circular at the moment,” she explained.
Demystifying timber terminology
To clarify key timber-related terms, Matt provided an overview:
- CLT (Cross-Laminated Timber) – A stable, multi-layered engineered wood product.
- Glulam – A strong structural timber made by gluing layers of wood with aligned grain.
- Nail-Laminated Timber – An alternative to adhesive bonding, often using wooden nails for sustainability.
Meanwhile, Gareth explained modified timber and preservation techniques, particularly thermal modification, which enhances durability and stability through a controlled heating process. He acknowledged the energy required for thermal treatment but emphasised that the extended lifespan of treated wood justifies the trade-off. “With thermal modification, you’re taking a material with a limited service life and dramatically extending it.”
Retrofit, reuse and market trends
- Andrew highlighted a knowledge gap in mass timber use, noting that HLM Architects are investing significant time and resources into its adoption. He cited the GIA Awards, where only four out of 54 projects utilised mass timber – highlighting the need for greater awareness.
- Matt provided a real-world example of reusing CLT from a defunct modular housing project, demonstrating the value of designing for disassembly and reuse.
- Andrew further explained, “Architects are in a really challenging market place generally at the moment. The market has been seriously affected by inflation and rising construction costs, this directly feeds into using timber as we know that mass timber is a more expensive product than steel and concrete.”
- Katherine shared insights into timber’s reuse potential, noting that while reclaimed materials are often niche, creative repurposing – such as turning old studwork into flooring – is gaining traction.
The challenges: fire regulations, market pressures and perceptions
The panel addressed key barriers to wider timber adoption:
- Gareth highlighted that current UK building regulations, particularly in Scotland post-Grenfell, restrict timber use in multi-story and public buildings, unfortunately making mass timber less accessible than in countries like Austria and Denmark.
- Gareth also discussed the shift towards using screws instead of ring shank nails in timber construction, which facilitates easier deconstruction and recycling.
- Matt explained, “it’s easy to feel discouraged by the market, but I stay buoyant. We’re fortunate that people come to us wanting to decarbonise their properties. Not everyone is there yet, but pioneers will lead the way and disrupt the market.”
- He also emphasised the future need for resource efficiency, saying: “Right now, we’re lazy because resources are available. But we will bump up against resource scarcity, and when we do, deliberate thinking about how we use materials will become crucial – timber will come to the fore.”
Schools leading the way in offsite timber construction
Schools are emerging as leaders in adopting timber-based construction. David asked the panel why this might be the case.
- Gareth shared that the government incentivises a drive towards carbon neutral buildings, and off-site manufacturing results in “much higher quality and performance characteristics”. He also explained that Russwood is developing a modular prefab cladding system for large school projects in England, which is really exciting.
- Matt described a council project using homegrown mass timber for school refurbishments, significantly reducing construction time and on-site disruption to classes.
The path forward
To close the discussion, David asked the panel for their one key piece of advice for anyone looking to design with timber:
- Andrew urged designers to stay passionate about timber, despite regulatory and cost challenges. “Stick to your guns and be enthusiastic and passionate about it – I think that’s infectious.”
- Matt emphasised perseverance, asserting that commitment to timber pays off in the long run.
- Katherine advocated for circular thinking – ensuring timber can be reused by designing for future disassembly.
- Gareth reminded the audience that timber is a diverse topic with many different applications, and urged them to seek advice from Russwood when specifying to achieve the performance they need.
As the industry grapples with sustainability, retrofit strategies, and circular economy principles, timber continues to prove its value. Despite market challenges, regulatory hurdles, and supply chain issues, the panel left the audience with an optimistic outlook: with the right expertise, passion, and commitment, timber can be at the heart of a more sustainable built environment. Thank you to our panellists and guests for a wonderful evening, we can’t wait for next time.
Highlights Gallery
