Rethinking Wood: How New Timber Technologies Are Redefining Sustainability

As demand for sustainable materials accelerates, few products are as sought-after or as scrutinised as timber. Valued for its natural beauty and carbon-sequestering properties, wood has long been considered a go-to material for environmentally conscious design. But as we face growing climate targets, supply chain pressures and an end to native logging in parts of Australia, it’s time to ask: Can timber really deliver on its sustainability promise? And how can we make it more accessible, more resilient and more circular?

This presentation explores how new technologies are transforming low-grade timber into high-performance products and what this means for building design today and for the future of the built environment.

Learning objectives

By the end of this session, you should be able to:

• Outline the trends and regulatory developments impacting the supply and use of timber in design and construction;
• Gain insight into the latest timber technologies and their role in improving sustainability;
• Understand how modern engineered timber supports circular economy principles and carbon reduction; and
• Identify how innovative timber solutions can be applied across residential, commercial, and civic projects.

AACA NSCA Competency Standards related to this session: P10, PC24, PC35, PC39

Speaker

Geoff Swinbourne – Founder & Director, Crafted Hardwoods