Architects & Designers
Architects and designers are uniquely positioned to shape a built environment that balances aesthetics, performance, cost, and sustainability. Achieving this balance requires more than creative vision, it demands informed material choices grounded in technical expertise.
Timber is a versatile, low-carbon material that enables innovative, high-performance design. But its sustainability depends entirely on how it is sourced. Responsible sourcing ensures that timber contributes positively to climate outcomes, biodiversity, and communities.
By combining technical knowledge with creative design, professionals can deliver projects that meet structural requirements and regulatory standards, while also responding to growing client and legislative expectations on environmental performance.
Make responsible sourcing part of your design brief and deliver projects that stand up to scrutiny as well as they stand out.
Specifying responsibly sourced timber is an essential part of delivering commercially viable, future-ready buildings. With growing demand for sustainable construction, credible certification helps architects justify material decisions to clients, investors and regulators alike.
Timber, when responsibly sourced, is not just a design choice — but a strategic one.
FSC® Certification
The Forest Stewardship Council runs the world’s leading forest certification system and works to mitigate the climate and biodiversity crises by advancing sustainable forest management worldwide.
FSC-certified timber is available across a wide and growing range of construction applications, from large structural elements to interior finishes.
Frequently Asked Questions
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At concept stage. This ensures availability, compliance and cost control throughout procurement.
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Proper specification is critical. Vague references to ‘sustainable’ or ‘certified’ wood lack clarity and can be open to interpretation. Specify “FSC-certified timber (Chain of Custody certified)” and require suppliers to confirm valid FSC claims and their certification number at procurement stage.
NOTE: Make sure you ask your supplier to include an FSC claim in their sales documents and check for the claim(s) on the invoices and delivery notes you receive. Checking FSC certificates is insufficient - they demonstrate that an organisation is certified but not whether this covers the products they have supplied to you.
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FSC 100% – from FSC-certified forests
FSC Mix – from FSC-certified, recycled and/or controlled sources
FSC Recycled – from recycled material
Note: Some products may only be available with one of the selected claims.
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No, FSC is a sourcing assurance, not a material specification. It applies across a huge variety of products including structural timber, cladding, joinery and engineered wood products.
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Yes. FSC-certified products can support credits in schemes like LEED and BREEAM by demonstrating responsible sourcing and verified supply chains.
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Availability can vary by products, species and region, so early engagement with certified suppliers is key to maintaining specification compliance.
Note: Where possible, allow some flexibility in specification e.g. by specifying timber performance and characteristics rather than specific species.
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Yes, buildings can be FSC certified under either under FSC Chain of Custody Certification or FSC Project Certification.
