UK’s 'first certification scheme' for biogenic stored carbon in the built environment
Grown in Britain highlights independently verified way to measure the long-term carbon stored in biogenic materials.
The scheme has been developed in direct response to the UK Government’s Timber in Construction Roadmap and Timber Industrial Strategy, in partnership with Timber Development UK, Bangor University, the Forestry Commission, Welsh Government, Scottish Forestry and industry leaders.
The Biogenic Stored Carbon Quotient (BSCQ) is said to cover all biogenic materials where sufficient data is available, including timber, sheep’s wool, straw and hemp.
It reportedly delivers four things that current carbon assessment frameworks cannot:
- An independently verified stored carbon figure from a third party that sits alongside embodied carbon data in project reporting and corporate accounts.
- An auditable basis for environmental, social and governance reporting
- Positioning for potential carbon credit mechanisms.
- A verified record that supports competitive tendering
While both imported and homegrown timber are included in the scheme, each BSCQ-certified project must include an element of Grown in Britain (GiB)-certified timber, reflecting the ambition of the UK and devolved governments to increase the use of homegrown timber in construction.
Grown in Britain says, 'The UK is currently the second largest net importer of timber products in the world, and approximately 40% of UK woodlands are under-managed. Greater demand for GiB-certified timber – driven by BSCQ – creates a direct incentive to bring more woodland into active, sustainable management, with benefits for biodiversity, productivity, employment and long-term carbon sequestration.'
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