The 10th European Conference on Sustainable Cities & Towns took place in Aalborg, Denmark, in October 2024. We were excited to meet new contacts and witness the growing interest from municipal leaders in connecting urban projects with sustainable wood, enhancing cities’ access to high-quality construction materials. During the event, Scott announced the launch of the WoodHub at the Solutions Pitch Space, inviting more cities to join this initiative. The WoodHub offers European cities new opportunities to grow and thrive by using bio-based, circular materials, while positively impacting the natural environment. Currently, restrictive procurement policies and dominance of large-scale suppliers have limited the diversity of local and sustainable timber in European cities. 

How Can European Cities Grow While Positively Impacting the Natural Environment?

Urban growth and environmental sustainability often appear at odds with each other. Cities need constant supplies of materials for their construction and renewal, but many are also committed to reducing their environmental impact and cutting down greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. The construction sector alone contributes more than 11% of global emissions, making it clear that “business as usual” cannot meet both urban expansion and environmental goals.

This is where innovative solutions, like the WoodHub, come in

Solutions Through Sustainable Wood for Cities

Since 2020, Pilot Projects has partnered with European cities to pilot and test this systems-thinking solution. Here’s a glimpse of how different cities are incorporating sustainable wood practices:

• Galway, Ireland: The county council has committed to a new sustainable wood procurement policy, extending from urban infrastructure to buildings.

• Glasgow, Scotland: Conducting a city-wide material flows analysis to guide future policies on wood product usage and circular construction.

• Turin, Italy: Working with nonprofits to connect urban regeneration with conservation timber and urban wood, engaging the public in sustainable choices. A pilot for a Sustainable Wood Warehouse is also in development.

• Rotterdam, Netherlands: Collaborated with the Probos Foundation to diversify wood procurement and communicate sustainability in the "Beterbank" pilot.

• Amsterdam, Netherlands: Established a direct connection with the Surinamese forest community of Bigi Poika, pre-certifying 15,684 hectares of tropical forest and purchasing 33 m³ of high-quality timber.

• Paris, France: Co-leading the 3rd Annual Conference on the Preservation of Forests with francophone mayors and forest representatives to create city-forest partnerships.

• Georgetown, Guyana: Piloted the Conservation Timber Works Forest Covers, creating manhole covers from low-value timber sourced from community-managed forests.

With these successful pilots, the WoodHub is ready to support large-scale action. Cities can play a crucial role in reducing carbon emissions by selecting sustainable materials, such as bio-based wood products, for urban construction.

Benefits of the WoodHub

• Lower embodied carbon in urban construction projects.

• Investment in sustainable forest management and local forest economies.

• Strengthening city-forest partnerships to promote environmental stewardship.

We want to hear from you! Please apply now to share your projects and ideas on how we can work together to establish a WoodHub in your city. Let’s join forces to drive sustainable initiatives and strengthen our communities.