How timber in building design reduces carbon emissions: West Fraser report shows 19.8 million tonnes CO2 avoided in 2025
pbctoday.co.ukA new sustainability report from West Fraser shows that using timber instead of steel and concrete in construction avoided an estimated 19.8 million tonnes of CO2-equivalent emissions in 2025. The figure comes from displacement analysis, which measures emissions avoided when wood products replace more carbon-intensive materials. This matters because buildings generate a large share of their total carbon footprint from materials, not just from energy use during operation. For architects and specifiers, the report provides evidence that early design choices around materials can significantly reduce Scope 3 supply chain emissions. Timber requires less energy to produce than steel or concrete and is renewable when sourced responsibly. As whole-life carbon assessments become more common in building regulations and client requirements, having clear data on material substitution benefits helps decision makers justify lower-carbon designs. The construction sector is under growing pressure to cut emissions, and this report adds to the case that material selection is a practical lever. Rather than relying only on efficiency gains in manufacturing, switching to timber at the design stage offers a scalable way to reduce embodied carbon across the building lifecycle.