Beyond Carbon: ASBP’s Broader Mission
ASBP is a UK-based organisation with around 170 members across the construction value chain, from manufacturers to architects to main contractors. Their mission is “to transform construction through the use of demonstrably sustainable building products.”
ASBP’s work covers the full sustainability spectrum, from material life cycle impacts to occupant wellbeing. This includes promoting healthy buildings supporting bio-based materials and a move away from toxic materials, such as volatile organic compounds in paints and finishes.
The Desired IMPACTT? Expanding the Standard
“Built by Nature issued a brief to bridge the gap between construction and forestry. My PhD is in traceability, and I saw this as a traceability and supply chain question.”
The result was IMPACTT: a project to visualise the timber journey for 11 buildings across the UK, Belgium, and the Netherlands.
“We wanted the buildings to tell their stories,” says Katenbayeva. Beyond mapping, the project aimed to influence certification schemes like PEFC – the world’s largest timber certification scheme – to integrate carbon and biodiversity data into future standards.”
Each building was chosen carefully. Some demonstrated circular design, others used alternative engineered timbers beyond CLT, and one featured home-grown UK timber. But it wasn’t just about variety:
“We looked for wow factor… buildings that were demountable, biophilic, or had strong human stories such as a children’s mental health unit where timber was deliberately chosen for its calming effects.” Biophilic design fosters human-nature connection through timber and other natural materials.
The timing was critical. With the EU Deforestation Regulation on the horizon, legal requirements will soon demand geolocation of timber origins. Visibility and traceability are becoming non-negotiable.
Why PEFC Matters
PEFC (Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification) covers more certified forest areas globally than any other scheme. It is a dominant force in timber procurement and widely accepted across construction procurement processes.
Existing timber certification schemes do not integrate carbon data, as well as forestry biodiversity metrics – rightfully so because of the complexity of this issue.
Data Gaps: Carbon and Biodiversity
One of the project’s clearest takeaways: carbon data is largely available and usable.
“Suppliers had that data,” she notes. “Once we added transport details, we could calculate whole-life carbon.”
Biodiversity was a different story.
“At the beginning, we thought we could define the same metrics and apply them across forests. But we quickly realised: there are no standard biodiversity metrics for forests.”
A dedicated workshop brought together eDNA analysts, forest owners, ecologists and forest managers. The questions that arose reveal the complexity of standardising biodiversity considerations. For example, what is the baseline? How do you compare biodiversity between a young and a mature forest? Should you count species or consider habitats?
“Forests are alive. They evolve. So you can’t take a snapshot and assume it tells the full story.”
Lacking a unified method, the team adopted a qualitative approach. Where biodiversity studies existed, they shared them. Where not, they provided national-level forest management context, highlighting regenerative practices or habitat data when available.
PRF is supporting work on just this issue, developing a biodiversity impact standard for the construction value chain. Read more about this important work here: ‘A New Standard to Measure Biodiversity in the Construction Value Chain.‘
What the Project Proves
IMPACTT offers a powerful lesson: today’s certification standards do not go far enough. If commercial timber standards remain unchanged, the natural and industrial ecosystems which rely upon forestry face extinction.
With a viable standard in place, certification bodies can and must incorporate biodiversity considerations into their assessments. This is where PRF’s work continues. By helping define a credible, scalable biodiversity impact standard, PRF aims to complement efforts like IMPACTT and ensure that future building decisions benefit both people and the planet.
Find the full IMPACTT report, including myth busters here: https://asbp.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/ASBP-Report-digital-paginated-version.pdf
About Built By Nature
Built by Nature is a not-for-profit organisation with a mission to transform the built environment by promoting the responsible use of timber and biobased materials.
Biodiversity & the Construction Value Chain Series
This article series explores the negative impact on biodiversity from the construction value chain and explores solutions from changemakers. Learn how the built environment is impacting our natural world and get inspired to address the biodiversity crisis.
