Ireland is ramping up efforts to position timber at the heart of its sustainable construction strategy, with a new government-backed report calling for targeted research and development to accelerate the use of locally sourced wood in the built environment. The report—Research and Development Needs for Timber in Construction in Ireland—was announced last month by Minister of State for Forestry Michael Healy-Rae during a visit to the University of Galway.
Produced by the Interdepartmental and Industry Working Group on Timber in Construction, the report outlines key priorities to promote timber use in building projects and unlock greater value from Ireland’s domestic forestry industry.
“With the construction sector seeking more sustainable alternatives, it is vital we recognise the role our forests can play in shaping the future of our built environment,” Minister Healy-Rae said. “This government is committed to supporting timber use in building projects, and I welcome the dedication of stakeholders in Ireland, researchers in particular, in identifying how innovation can help advance the use of timber in construction in Ireland.”
The report presents findings from a survey conducted among members of the Timber in Construction Steering Group’s research and development thematic group. It identifies priority actions to support timber’s role in sustainable building, including the expansion of timber frame housing and the adoption of mass timber for mid- and high-rise structures.
“There is a real opportunity to increase the market for timber frame homes and the use of home-grown Irish timber in response to the housing and climate crises,” Healy-Rae said. “There is also a growing interest in mass timber for mid- and high-rise buildings, and this report provides clear direction for targeted research.”
Healy-Rae also urged stakeholders across the construction and forestry sectors to embrace timber’s potential. “Over the years, the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine has funded key timber research and green public procurement projects, helping develop the forest sector, and supporting our farmers and forest growers,” he said. “We have thriving forestry and timber industries, and the time is right to integrate timber more efficiently into Ireland’s construction sector.”
Patrick McGetrick, chair of the research and development thematic group and representative of the University of Galway, welcomed the report’s publication as a milestone for timber innovation in Ireland.
“Research plays a critical role in ensuring the safe and effective use of timber as a structural material,” McGetrick said. “It provides scientific evidence that enhances confidence among engineers, architects, builders and the general public as end users.” He added that while timber offers significant environmental and structural benefits, further research is needed to fully understand its potential:
“There are still many questions to be answered in relation to the use of wood in construction, not only from a structural design point of view, but also to maximise its performance, and to better understand the environmental benefits of its use as a source of carbon storage,” McGetrick said. “Addressing these questions requires academia, industry and policymakers to work together, and I am delighted to see the results and future potential of such collaboration reflected in this report.”
