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The 2024 UK Forest Market Report, produced by BSW Group’s Tillhill Forestry and Goldcrest Land & Forestry Group, says the UK forestry market remains strong, driven by demand for high-quality assets, stable timber prices, wider natural capital projects and a positive medium-term outlook for wood being used as a substitute for high carbon materials. Source; Timberbiz Nevertheless, the report highlights species diversity as key to its success in the future. The report provides a comprehensive overview of the UK forestry sector, detailing key financial trends, regional insights and emerging investment opportunities. In 2024, £95.4 million of forestry was listed for sale in the UK, with Scotland continuing to dominate with a 79% market share. The volume of land available for sale in Scotland dropped by 40% to 1,600ha, as availability of land suitable for commercial forestry continued to tighten despite sustained demand. Pricing for land has stabilised, however, at around £10,000 per gross hectare. The construction industry is increasingly seeking more sustainable, low-carbon building materials as it moves towards a net-zero environment. With timber’s status as a low-carbon building material already well established, attention is turning to whether sufficient supplies will be available as building starts increase and demand grows, and if homegrown timber can step up to fill any gaps. Nevertheless, the report highlights species diversity as key to its success in the future. The report provides a comprehensive overview of the UK forestry sector, detailing key financial trends, regional insights and emerging investment opportunities. In 2024, £95.4 million of forestry was listed for sale in the UK, with Scotland continuing to dominate with a 79% market share. The volume of land available for sale in Scotland dropped by 40% to 1,600ha, as availability of land suitable for commercial forestry continued to tighten despite sustained demand. Pricing for land has stabilised, however, at around £10,000 per gross hectare. You can download the report here      

The Palisades, Eaton and Hurst wildfires in Southern California have destroyed more than 12,000 structures, raising the likelihood of a spike in demand for lumber in the months and years ahead. Source: Dow Jones The rebuilding process after events such as these “typically drives a significant demand for building materials, particularly lumber, given its foundational role in construction,” said Michael Goodman, director of finance and general counsel at building-materials wholesaler Sherwood Lumber. Demand for construction materials will “undoubtedly rise,” but the pace will depend on the “timeline for insurance assessments, debris removal, permitting and rebuilding efforts,” Goodman said. Historically, it can take several months for the full impact to hit the market, he said. The Southern California wildfires started on 7 January, and as of a week later, more than 12,300 structures had been destroyed, according to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection. Replacing 12,000 structures would require an estimated 10,000 to 20,000 truckloads of lumber, Goodman said. A 48-foot flatbed truck can haul 45,500 to 52,000 pounds of lumber, according to Union Pacific. The number of pounds per 1,000 board feet varies by tree species, but the Global Trade Network has figures ranging from 2,250 to 5,350 pounds per 1,000 board feet of freshly cut lumber. On the CME, lumber for March delivery (LBRH25) (LBR00) settled Tuesday at US$585 per 1,000 board feet. “Framing lumber and panels are critical pieces of the rebuilding puzzle,” said Greg Kuta, president and chief executive officer at lumber broker Westline Capital Strategies. “The biggest hurdle will be how quickly insurance and regulation can be cleared to begin the rebuild process, along with a finite labour pool to draw from within the home-building industry.” It may take “many months, if not years, to rebuild in a meaningful way, with critical infrastructure taking precedence over residential structures,” he said, adding that at some point, lumber prices will rally because of that demand to rebuild. Lumber prices based on the most active futures contract have climbed by more than 7% so far in the new year, already outpacing 2024’s modest 1.3% rise, according to Dow Jones Market Data. Prices, however, still trade far below their record intraday high of US$712 in August 2022. That year, the legacy lumber contract was delisted, and the current smaller contract was launched. Kuta said the reason lumber futures have gained 7% so far this year is because of the risk of additional tariffs being levied against Canadian and European lumber by the incoming Trump administration, not because of the Southern California wildfires. Donald Trump was quoted last week as saying that US has “massive fields of lumber” and does not need Canada’s lumber. The bottom line is that we need Canada’s vast and flowing “lumber fields” to supply our domestic housing needs, always have and always will said Greg Kuta, Westline Capital Strategies. Trump has said he would levy tariffs of 25% on imports of all goods from Mexico and Canada. That would be on top of duties already in place on Canadian lumber exports into U.S. markets and would make aggregate framing-lumber costs more expensive for the end consumer in 2025, Kuta said. “The bottom line is that we need Canada’s vast and flowing ‘lumber fields’ to supply our domestic housing needs always have and always will,” said Kuta, who also pointed out that lumber grows in forests, not fields. Any potential fire-related investment opportunities in the lumber market are “more long-term in nature,” Kuta said. “The real, sustainable reason for prices to move higher is demand driven, and that’s highly unlikely in [the first quarter of] 2025.” The 2018 Camp Fire in northern California’s Butte County resulted in a short-term spike in lumber prices, followed by a “stabilization period as rebuilding efforts got under way,” Goodman said. He pointed out that Southern California has unique building codes, including fire-resistance requirements that may influence material choices. That could lead to “diversified demand for engineered-wood products, siding and other specialized materials in addition to standard framing lumber,” he said. It’s still too early to know how much lumber will be needed to rebuild what has been destroyed by the Southern California fires, Kuta said, adding that the North American lumber market is still in an “oversupplied market situation, which has lingered since the end of the bull-market cycle in late 2022.” However, ongoing supply destruction among Canadian lumber producers over the last year, with a number of permanent mill shutdowns in British Columbia, has significantly narrowed the oversupply situation, he said. “We are much closer to supply/demand equilibrium heading into 2025,” said Kuta. Typically, the industry likes to procure lumber in the fourth quarter or the early part of the first quarter in anticipation of the spring building season, he said. Someone who needs lumber and can afford to buy and hold it is probably “incentivized to own the wood in anticipation of higher highs in lumber prices in 2025,” said Kuta. Seasonally and historically, lumber prices peak from mid-February into mid-March and typically bottom out around mid-October into mid-November, he said. The fires may push that seasonal price peak into mid- to late 2025, and the seasonal high could be pushed further out into this year as well, he said. Looking at the bigger picture for the lumber market, Kuta said, “if one believes that interest rates will gradually moderate lower, we as a nation [would still be] woefully underbuilt and in need of new residential housing.” Among the companies to consider are lumber providers Canfor Corp and West Fraser Timber and timberland company Weyerhaeuser, as well as building-material suppliers Builders FirstSource and Boise Cascade, said Kuta, who said he does not own any forestry-related or housing company stocks. Timing will become a bigger issue when organic housing demand does heat up, he said, with the question being whether that happens during the second quarter or third quarter of this year or if the “green shoots of demand wait until 2026 to surface.” There’s likely a “significant […]

JCB has cleared significant hurdles in its development of the world’s first hydrogen combustion engine after securing landmark rulings from licensing authorities allowing it to be used commercially in machines, the company announced. Source: Timberbiz JCB is the first construction equipment company to develop a fully working combustion engine fuelled by hydrogen and a team of 150 engineers has been working on the exciting £100 million development for over three years. The company confirmed that 11 licensing authorities across Europe have now given permission for JCB’s hydrogen engine to be sold across Europe with authorities in other countries set to follow suit with certification in 2025. This is a very significant moment for JCB. To start the New Year with certification in place in so many European countries bodes very well for the future of hydrogen combustion technology. “JCB has proved in recent years that it is a proper zero emissions solution for construction and agricultural equipment. This formal type approval/certification paves the way for the sale and use of hydrogen engines right across the UK and Europe. I couldn’t have hoped for a better start to the year. Most of all, I am delighted for our team of British engineers who have worked tirelessly to reach this stage,” Lord Bamford JCB Chairman said. JCB confirmed that the Netherlands’ Vehicle Authority RDW was the first licensing authority to issue official certification, giving permission for the engine to sold in The Netherlands. Other licensing bodies across Europe have followed RDW’s lead by issuing the necessary certification, including Great Britain, Northern Ireland, Germany, France, Spain, Belgium, Poland, Finland, Switzerland and Lichtenstein. Licensing authorities in other countries are set to follow with certification during 2025. JCB has already produced more than 130 evaluation engines which are powering backhoe loaders, Loadall telescopic handlers and generator sets. Real-world testing of JCB’s hydrogen equipment on customers’ sites is now at an advanced stage and progressing well.

A team of US researchers calculated that fully replacing conventional building materials in new infrastructure with CO2-storing alternatives could store as much as 16.6 billion tonnes of CO2 each year, roughly half of human-caused CO2 emissions in 2021. Source: Timberbiz These alternatives include mixing carbon aggregates in concrete or using bio-based materials in bricks. The Science Media Centre in New Zealand asked local experts to comment. Associate Professor David Dempsey, Department of Civil and Natural Resources Engineering, University of Canterbury, comments: “This article concludes that by changing the types of materials we build with; we can help large amounts of carbon dioxide to be drawn out of the atmosphere. This process is called carbon removal. “The largest removal by far comes from a new kind of concrete that includes a special CO2-capturing aggregate like dunite rock, of which New Zealand has bountiful natural deposits in Nelson and Southland. “But this concrete capture would need to be paired with high purity atmospheric CO2, for which the best options in New Zealand would be the flue gas coming from a biomass boiler (we have a lot of these too). We’d also need to carefully check that the new concrete was just as strong and durable as existing uses. “Other removals described in the article come through clever substitution of forestry-derived materials. Again, New Zealand has natural advantages with our large forestry sector and the widespread use of timber in construction materials. “A few things would need to change for New Zealand to capitalise on this research. First, the government would need to change the rules to recognise carbon embodied in building materials, for instance by issuing NZUs under the emissions trading scheme. Second, we’d need to think carefully about just how long the CO2 is actually stored for and what happens to it once the building is torn down. If the CO2 is later released from the landfill, then this kind of storage is limited. “The amount of CO2 storage needed worldwide is daunting and so storage in building materials deserves to be on the table alongside approaches like geological storage, further forestry planting, and other nature-based solutions.” (Conflict of interest statement: “I receive funding from the NZ government to undertake research in carbon dioxide removal.”) Professor Suzannne Wilkinson, Faculty of Design & Creative Technologies, Auckland University of Technology, comments: “The construction industry is a conservative industry and therefore requires certainty before it will invest in new materials. Certification of products usually provides this certainty. However, the industry tends to make choices for material options mainly using criteria of cost, time, and quality, with safety as paramount, and environmental considerations important. “So, even if carbon sequestration using new materials is desired, there are obstacles which would prevent use. For instance, would the material cost more to procure? Does it require new training for staff? If so, it is unlikely to be preferred over traditional materials. Would it take more time to install or have a longer supply chain? Again, it would be hard to see a preference over traditional materials. Would quality be compromised? If there is a negative change in quality, then this impacts decision making. “Other than satisfying choice criteria, there are ways to achieve change, some of which (and these are not all) include: educate clients to ask for new certified materials, legislate for their use, or use tax or trade agreements to reduce costs.” Diego Elustondo, Scion Portfolio Leader, Trees to High-Value Wood Products, comments: “The premise of the paper is promising given the massive volume of infrastructure materials produced annually and their long lifespan in service or landfill, construction materials indeed offer substantial potential for carbon storage. “However, the paper’s assumptions about carbon storage capacity in various building materials appear to favour masonry materials at the expense of wood-based alternatives. The comparison between existing (wood-based) materials and those that do not exist at scale yet is unrealistic. To be accurate, a comparison would need to consider wood-based materials at the same stage of development as other future materials mentioned in the paper. “There is no substantial evidence to confirm these proposed modified non-renewable materials will be commercially available in the future, while wood-based alternatives have long been established as renewable building materials. Timber, for example, has a long history of proven performance, and its benefits as a carbon sink are well documented. “It is crucial to recognise trees are restored by nature, while other building materials are more likely to remain in landfills and the sites mined for minerals will not be restored. It is crucial to emphasise that the use of modified non-renewable building materials in combination with wood-based building materials that sequester carbon long term will help reduce the devastating effect of greenhouse gas emissions. “Scion’s research ensures wood-based materials increasingly contribute to sustainable buildings. Its Rotorua innovation hub, Te Whare Nui o Tuteata, demonstrates this. The timber structure is carbon-neutral, storing 418 tonnes of CO2 – equivalent for the life of the building – equivalent to the emissions from 160 people taking return flights from Auckland to London.” (Conflict of interest statement: “Diego’s Trees to High-Value Products portfolio at Scion focuses on promoting and facilitating the use of timber in building applications.”)

West Australians will be able to claim $150 “treebates” to plant native trees in their yards, as part of an ambitious promise by Labor to double Perth’s urban canopy by 2040. Source: Perth Now Announced by Environment Minister Reece Whitby in Middle Swan, a third term Cook Government would seek to plant a million trees by 2035, with rebate incentives to locals to buy natives from WA nurseries. Confessing the goal was “ambitious”, Mr Whitby said Labor was pursuing the targets because it was the right thing to do. “I think we can get there this program immediately scales up what we’ve been doing in the past, to an extraordinary level, and it gets everyone on the road to achieving that,” he said. Under the program, 10,000 West Aussies a year will be able claim a cash rebate on purchase of native trees from local nurseries of up to $150. Households with multiple people aged over 18 could claim for each person in the home, Mr Whitby said. “There’s a lot of good things about planting trees. It’s one of my favourite things to do as the environment minister,” he said. “It makes our suburbs and towns greener. It makes them cooler. It makes communities more liveable, a nicer place to live. “It’s better for wildlife, of course, it provides a habitat for our native species and insects and bird life, and it’s good for everyone’s mental health.” The Government would also invest $10 million in identifying urban land suitable for planting blocks of trees as part of the bid to reach the million-tree target within 10 years. It comes as Perth’s tree canopy, which sits at just 16% of metropolitan area, is ranked the worst for a capital city in Australia. Shadow environment minister Neil Thomson labelled the “treebates” a “pathetic gimmick”. “(This policy) is one of the worst examples of public spending I have seen in my long career in public service,” he said. “It cannot hide the failure of this government on declining tree canopy in Perth with its abysmal early response to the polyphagous shothole borer which now means we are destined to lose more canopy in our beautiful capital city.”

Scion in New Zealand has produced a ‘how-to’ guide for landowners, forest investors and government agencies that outlines the promising potential of short rotation forestry to supply feedstock for bioenergy production in New Zealand. Source: Timberbiz Growing trees dedicated for biofuel not only diversifies regional economies but also contributes to sustainable land management and helps New Zealand meet its net-zero emissions targets by 2050. Why it matters The forestry model provides an alternative investment option for landowners on lower value land (Land Use Capability Class 5-7). By 2035, 150,000 hectares of dedicated bioenergy forest could displace 3 million tonnes CO2-e emissions per year. A two-year research project has identified the opportunities for regional New Zealand to adopt short rotation forestry (SRF) for bioenergy production. Scion’s modelling shows that short rotation forestry as a feedstock for bioenergy has the potential to replace 6% of New Zealand’s annual fossil fuel demand from less than 1% of the land area. This finding reinforces the feasibility of scaling up bioenergy production from forests, particularly in regions well-suited for short rotation forestry including the Central North Island, Northland, the East Coast, and Otago. These areas offer ideal conditions for SRF on lower-value land (Land Use Capability Class 5-7), where transport distances to processing locations can be minimised. Pinus radiata, known for its rapid growth and adaptability, is identified as the ideal species for SRF, with Eucalyptus fastigata and Eucalyptus regnans also showing promise for high biomass yields. These species are planted in dense stands and managed to optimise wood production for renewable energy, such as wood pellets, torrefied briquettes, or liquid biofuels for the marine and aviation sectors. SRF cycles, ranging from 12 to 18 years, are significantly shorter than the conventional 28-year harvesting cycles, providing a steady supply of biomass and contributing to greenhouse gas reduction by displacing fossil fuels and promoting carbon sequestration. Scion is developing forest bioenergy trials with the Ministry for Primary Industries to validate the theoretical findings.

Nothing gives Glencoe Nursery’s Vicki Thiele more satisfaction than seeing the full plantation timber cycle in action – the tiny seedlings she once tended decades ago become fully grown trees, then transforming into timber for the houses of today. Source: Timberbiz Once what was ‘just a casual job’ has evolved into an accidental career for Ms Thiele. Just 16 years old when she showed up for her first day’s seasonal work at the Glencoe Nursery, four decades later, Ms Thiele has risen up the ranks to become the facility’s Production Supervisor. “This job has been my whole working life,” she said, walking across a field of new seedlings,” she said. “What I love about this job is I’ve got the pleasure of being in and out. I’m nearly 57, but I don’t think I’d ever do an inside job. I do a little bit of office work but when I choose, I can go outside.” Experience in virtually every job and activity possible at the nursery, from cutting and setting to long days mowing and spraying on the tractor, has paid dividends when it comes to her supervisory role. “For me, I’m the sort of person who has to have an understanding of that job,” Ms Thiele said. “I think it’s really important because when all the crew come in and I supervise them, that I’ve done that job, and I know how hard it is. So, I like the fact that I’ve got that behind me to guide everyone.” Above all, Ms Thiele said she feels that experience is valued by the nursery crew and wider OneFortyOne team. “Because at the end of the day, I haven’t got a certificate – I’m not a forester, but I have got the experience. And you earn that, I think, as the years go on. No university degree is going to give you that.” Throughout Ms Thiele time, the two biggest workplace changes have been in safety and technology, with the nursery undergoing a major $8m upgrade over the last few years. The brand new undercover automated handling line, installed in 2024, has revolutionised the role of workers, streamlining processes, placing their work at bench height and also, giving them shelter from the cold winters and hot dry summers. When Ms Thiele first started, in the years before Personal Protective Equipment was required, she recalled the nursery crew were at the mercy of the Limestone Coast’s infamous weather conditions. “Wet weather gear is never foolproof,” Ms Thiele said with a laugh. “So, you’d be in all your overalls, your jacket, your gloves and your hat. But sometimes you’d come back in for smoko and your bras and your knickers were drenched!” Although Ms Thiele said a day in the fields was once preferrable to a day working undercover, crew universally agree the major advances in safety and technology at the site are a positive change. “It’s one hundred percent for the better when it comes to safety,” she said. Despite periods of time away from the nursery, to have children and look at other jobs, Ms Thiele said the relaxed nursery environment kept calling her back. “There were plenty of jobs out there, but I kept coming back here, so I must’ve enjoyed it,” Ms Thiele said. Constant advances in technology means output has increased dramatically, from 3,000-6,000 cuttings annually in the 1980s, up to a current total of 1.2million for OneFortyOne, plus an additional 800,000 for contractors. Statistics aside, Ms Thiele said a sense of pride is always behind the nursery team’s work. “It’s the pleasure of seeing a little seed, when you first sow them and you’re waiting every day checking to see if they’ve actually come out of the ground. “As soon as they pop their heads up, then you get to watch them grow. “It’s a good feeling that nine months later you are seeing them leave the nursery as a tree that’s going to get planted out into the bush.” Come September, when the season finishes and the work slows, the 40-plus crew dwindles down to just a handful. A good day at the nursery, Ms Thiele said, is when the team have worked together to send the best possible product out the gate. “For me, it’s getting my jobs done, to a good level and walking out feeling I’ve accomplished what I needed to do,” she said. “Feeling like I’ve put in a good day’s work.”

When Jean Margerie arrived at Techlam’s Levin factory from France, he brought more than just his engineering expertise, he represented a unique collaboration between New Zealand’s wood industry and European technical education. Source: Timberbiz The partnership, connecting Techlam with New Zealand’s forest research institute Scion and France’s prestigious engineering school ENSAM, began with a straightforward goal: improving quality control for glulam beam production. What emerged was a story of cross-cultural exchange and technical innovation. “It’s not often students get to work between research and industry,” Mr Margerie said, describing his split time between Techlam’s factory floor and Scion’s research facilities. “The first impressions were overwhelming, but the constant support from both Scion and Techlam teams made all the difference.” Mr Margerie’s background made him particularly suited for the role. Having visited more than 20 countries with his teacher parents when he was younger, he developed an adaptability that proved valuable in New Zealand’s wood industry – an environment quite different from his European experience. At Techlam, Mr Margerie’s primary focus was refining the company’s quality assessment methods. He spearheaded the implementation of a non-destructive testing device that could evaluate glulam beam stiffness without compromising structural integrity. The system allows technicians to assess beam strength more efficiently while maintaining production quality. His work extended to the factory floor, where he conducted a comprehensive two-month analysis of production workflows. Working alongside manufacturing teams, Jean mapped out each step of the glulam manufacturing process, identifying bottlenecks and suggesting improvements to enhance consistency. The research component of his role at Scion proved equally substantial. Jean devoted significant time to investigating hybrid beam technology, exploring how incorporating exotic woods and carbon fibres could enhance beam performance. This research aimed to push the boundaries of traditional glulam capabilities while maintaining practical manufacturing feasibility. “Each day brought different challenges,” Mr Margerie explained. “One day I might be calibrating testing equipment, the next analysing production data, and the next running laboratory tests at Scion. This mix of practical and research work helped me grow my skillset tremendously.” In Europe, the building industry doesn’t rely as much on wood, or rather in a different way Mr Margerie noted, highlighting a key difference between the regions. This observation carries weight, considering New Zealand’s significant forestry sector. According to the New Zealand Ministry for Primary Industries, the industry generated around NZ$6.6 billion of annual gross income in the recent years, with volumes expected to be high for the decade (to 2030) as forests planted in the past are now reaching maturity. ENSAM’s reputation for excellence in engineering education played a crucial role in the success of this international partnership. The institution’s approach goes beyond theoretical knowledge, emphasising practical problem-solving and project leadership skills that translate directly to industry needs. Brett Hamilton, Techlam’s Managing Director, has been particularly impressed with this practical focus: “Jean’s ability to combine theoretical knowledge with practical problem-solving has brought a new dimension to our operations.” Having completed his internship, Mr Margerie is now finishing a full-time position at Techlam. When asked about his long-term plans, he sees part of his future in New Zealand. “I could easily see myself here for quite a few years,” he said, though he added with a laugh, “but I do miss proper French cheese.” His openness to staying in New Zealand reflects both the opportunities he sees in the country’s wood industry and the welcoming environment he’s found since arriving. For Techlam, the collaboration with Scion and ENSAM represents an investment in both innovation and the future of engineered wood technology. As New Zealand’s engineered timber industry continues its rapid growth, partnerships like these may become increasingly important for bridging global expertise and local innovation.

The Australian Government says it is committed to ensuring illegally logged material is not incorporated into Australian wood products. The arrangements commencing on 3 March 2025 represent an opportunity for government, industry and end users of wood products to have greater confidence in the source and supply of timber. Source: Timberbiz This will provide greater confidence to the Australian public of the strong collective commitment of all parts of the Australian supply chain to responsible forestry practices. The Illegal Logging Prohibition Amendment Act 2024 (Amendment Act) and associated Illegal Logging Prohibition Rules 2024 (the Rules) were finalised in December 2024 and will come into effect on 3 March 2025. These new legal requirements will involve changes to internal processes and the government says it remains committed to supporting compliance within the regulated community with clear and accessible guidance. For the first six months of the Rules being in effect (from 3 March 2025 – early September 2025), there will be audits as usual, but the focus will be on education and guidance for non-compliance matters relating to the application of new/changed due diligence arrangements. There may be further action for non-compliance matters where warranted, consistent with the compliance policy. Aspects of due diligence requirements will change on 3 March 2025. Until then, existing requirements remain in place. More information on what will happen from 3 March 2025 is available in the Navigating New Rules: Transitioning to new arrangements factsheet. There are also two digital kits (‘digikits’) with resources and information for representative groups to distribute amongst their networks. If you would like to receive the digikits email illegallogging@aff.gov.au Further guidance material will be available ahead of 3 March 2025 to assist in meeting due diligence requirements. There will be an opportunity to provide feedback during the first six months of the updated legislation, to ensure our guidance is fit-for-purpose. At all times the guidance will remain aligned to the legislation and the intent of the legislation. Further information on the changes coming into effect under the Amendment Act and Rules is available in E-update 49.

Australian Panels is proud to contribute to an innovative collaboration with The University of Queensland (UQ) on a transformative project aimed at creating sustainable and affordable prefabricated temporary housing systems. Source: Timberbiz This visionary initiative breathes new life into recovered waste cardboard and under-utilised timber from Northern New South Wales, crafting a timely solution for emergency housing. It’s a remarkable fusion of ingenuity, speed, and environmental mindfulness. This project seeks to redefine how temporary housing is conceptualized and constructed. It revolves around the creation of timber-cardboard sandwich panels, a revolutionary structural composite made primarily of recovered waste cardboard and under-utilised timber. These materials, readily available in Northern New South Wales, are transformed into components that outperform conventional foam-core insulated panels by 30% in structural efficiency. Beyond their technical benefits, these panels exemplify a commitment to sustainability, promoting the use of renewable and recycled materials in temporary housing construction. The project also supports the development of new and expanded regional manufacturing capabilities, fostering growth in bio-based modular housing systems. The 2022 floods in Lismore, on the NSW North Coast, served as a stark reminder of the devastating impact natural disasters can have on communities. Thousands of residents were displaced, many of whom waited months for suitable shelter due to the lack of high-quality, rapid-deployment housing solutions. The increasing frequency and intensity of such disasters, driven by climate change, has heightened the urgency for adaptable, durable, and sustainable temporary housing solutions. This initiative directly addresses this challenge by creating a model that prioritises speed, comfort, and resilience. By using locally sourced materials, the project reduces reliance on complex logistics and transportation, enabling quicker assembly and lower costs. This not only accelerates the recovery process for disaster-stricken communities but also supports regional economies. Moreover, the system’s innovative design demonstrates how materials often considered waste can be transformed into high-performing building components that meet modern housing standards. Integral to this groundbreaking project are two standout products from Australian Panels: STRUCTAflor Ultimate (R-Flor) and easycraft VJ100. STRUCTAflor Ultimate, equipped with cutting-edge radiant barrier technology, was specifically chosen for its moisture vapor retarding effect, thanks to the perforated aluminium foil layer. This feature is crucial as it provides protection to the particleboard flooring and floor coverings by reducing the ability of moisture from the subfloor area to enter the structure, making it ideal for installation in damp areas. Other key benefits of STRUCTAflor Ultimate include: Reducing the potential for mould growth on the underside of the flooring. Enhancing the overall System R values (thermal insulation). BAL 29 fire rating compliance, adding a layer of fire protection. Meanwhile, easycraft VJ100 combines aesthetic finesse with unmatched durability, contributing to the visual and structural integrity of the temporary housing units. The culmination of this initiative is a full-scale prototype, a tangible embodiment of the project’s goals. Weatherproof, safe, and remarkably comfortable, this temporary home redefines how recycled materials can serve humanity. During a public showcase at Southern Cross University in Lismore, visitors explored the house, touching its features, asking questions about the technologies used, and sharing overwhelmingly positive feedback. Minister Jihad Dib, NSW Minister for Emergency Services, visited the site along with Benjamin Roche, Pro Vice-Chancellor (Research and Education Impact) at SCU, and Andrew Hurford, owner of Hurford Wholesale and a key project partner. Their presence underscored the importance of this innovation in disaster response. This project is more than a technical achievement; it is a triumph of collaboration. It brings together expertise from government, research, and industry partners, representing every stage of the value chain from forest resources to wood products and final building applications. Funded by the NSW Decarbonisation Innovation Hub and Land and Primary Industries Network, this seed initiative is a testament to how cross-sector partnerships can foster radically new approaches to resource-efficient building design. The result is a low-carbon, sustainable, and scalable delivery model perfectly suited for post-disaster temporary housing. This collaboration sets a new benchmark in sustainable construction, turning waste into opportunity and challenges into triumphs. By significantly increasing the capacity to use renewable and recycled materials, the project not only addresses immediate housing needs but also paves the way for expanded regional manufacturing in bio-based modular housing systems.