The most important thing is to ask for a Low Carbon Timber proof when buying or procuring wood products. The transportation of materials has expanded enormously in recent years. Today, wood is a globally traded product. Therefore, one can hardly be sure that the wood in the product or building originates from regional sources – in many cases, this is no longer the case. Since you can’t tell by looking at wood where it comes from and how far it has been transported, the controlling system and proof of origin of Low Carbon Timber was developed. Since the certificate does not certify the company but the respective delivered product or batch, it is important to ask for proof for a specific project. A self-statement by the company is not sufficient here. Even for companies that have not yet been registered in the Low Carbon Timber network (see under Find a supplier), it is worth asking for proof of Low Carbon Timber. On the one hand, a company can also obtain appropriate certification of the product supplied at short notice for a specific order, and on the other hand, only through corresponding noticeable demand will more and more companies change accordingly in their raw material procurement and material cycles be closed for a short time. The sample certificate gives an example of such a certificate. How do I check the authenticity? You can check the authenticity of a transferred certificate immediately and easily online. To do so, scan the QR code on the certificate. If the certificate is genuine, the identical document to the one you have in your hands must appear on the download screen.

The eco-label Low Carbon Timber is the basic element that architects and planners can use to ensure that the building is not only environmentally friendly due to the building material wood and its CO2 binding, but also that the climate balance of the materials used is optimal. Low Carbon Timber is the first instrument to integrate these aspects into tenders in compliance with procurement law. Even as a body issuing invitations to tender, one must not rely on bidders’ own statements. The eco-label ‘Low Carbon Timber’ offers a simple way to ensure and easily verify compliance with the desired criteria. How the eco-label can be integrated into tenders can be found here: Flowchart-Tendering-with-LCT. In advance, answers to a few common questions: 1) Are there any suppliers at all if I request wood from Here in the RFP? Yes! Meeting the requirements of Low Carbon Timber is usually straightforward for most market participants and bidders. Even if there are no registered farms in a particular region yet, this does not hinder the implementation. A company can also obtain certification for the wood supplied or used for a specific object or construction project in the short term. 2) Am I limiting competition? In principle, no, because Low Carbon Timber is an open system that can basically be used once by any market participant if they comply with the relevant criteria. After all, since the requirement applies equally to every market participant, competition is not restricted. 3) Will the object be more expensive? The answer to this question is neither yes nor no. All variants are certainly possible. Whether the material becomes more expensive or less expensive, or remains the same in price, depends, as with other aspects in the award, on the individual case.

t is relatively simple to participate in the Low Carbon Timber network of companies or to use the certification option for wood products, and it is also easy for a smaller craft enterprise to do so. The prerequisite is Internet access, as the material flow control is carried out electronically, and the willingness to procure the raw materials according to the criteria of Low Carbon Timber for maximum transport distances. It is not necessary to design the entire production accordingly. This is only required for the products or delivery batches that are to be labeled accordingly as climate-friendly wood. Participation is also possible at short notice and does not require the introduction of a complex management system or similar. The effort required to participate in Low Carbon Timber is minimized, both in terms of time and administration, as well as cost. Just get in touch with us.

As a non-profit organization, Low Carbon Timber does not pursue economic interests, but is committed to protecting the climate, biodiversity and resources, and promoting regional value creation. In order to be able to achieve these goals nationwide and beyond, it needs many actors, comrades-in-arms and multipliers. If you as an organization, institution, corporation, association or other share these goals, you can effectively support this within the framework of a partnership. Partners can be actors from a wide range of backgrounds at the local, regional, national or international level. You can find an overview of previous partners here. Partners find in Low Carbon Timber a supporter and contact person with a lot of know-how, experience and information about the forestry and timber industry in the context of the market and the environment. Partners can use the various information materials and exhibitions of Low Carbon Timber. You support Low Carbon Timber in its charitable causes, for example, through information and communication: tell your members, partners, customers or others about Low Carbon Timber, report on the initiative and the climate and environmental label in your communication media, or network with Low Carbon Timber on the web and social media. A partnership can also be expressed in the form of joint public relations work or joint events. The development and implementation of joint projects can also be an expression and form of partnership. We are happy about everyone who helps to achieve the above mentioned goals for the environment and the regions, just contact us.