While the Construction market was particularly hard hit by the economic downturn, timber industry appears to be bucking the trend: sales of timber frame, SIPS, and volumetric timber buildings increased by some €37 million in 2011 (1).
Sales of timber frames are expected to continue to surpass the general trend for the construction market: growth of 9% this year to top €490m is expected. Furthermore, this sales growth is expected to last, with a 60% increase in volume and 80% in value by 2016 (2)
This continuing growth can be explained by the increasing importance placed on sustainability and low-carbon solutions to construction. Regulations, such as the Code for Sustainable Homes in the UK, are becoming increasingly important in the construction industry and as such, are fast becoming key drivers in influencing market demands and growth.
Besides the reduced CO2 consumption, other advantages to using timber are becoming more and more evident to developers: timber is an efficient and accurate building material, allowing fast construction times, less waste, low costs during construction and energy efficiency after construction. As developers become ever more aware of these attributes, we can expect timber frame sales growth to strengthen into the future.
To find out more, do not hesitate to contact us at client@ibtpartners.com or see our Construction and Real Estate Sector pages.
(1) MTW http://www.theconstructionindex.co.uk/news/view/timber-frame-market-about-to-boom-says-report
(2) MTW http://www.timber-building.com/news/timber-frame-to-forge-market-lead/