We turn circular economic theory into practical action, in pursuit of a sustainable and regenerative built environment
Materials for a
circular economy
The construction industry creates vast quantities of waste. Wood waste is currently chipped, downcycled and incinerated. UK CLT intervenes by capitalising on the structural and aesthetic properties of reclaimed timber. We turn it into long-life, modular products: cross-laminated secondary timber (CLST) and glued-laminated secondary timber (glulamST).
CascadeUp pilot
Photo credit: James Tye/UCL
This pilot modular building uses glulamST for its structural frame, and CLST as wall and floor panels. To our knowledge, this is the world’s first building-scale demonstration of mass timber manufactured from recovered wood.
As well as reusing materials, the building itself is reusable. The pilot has been exhibited at the UCL Festival of Engineering 2024, London Design Festival 2024 and Futurebuild 2025. Further appearances are under consideration. Please contact us if you’d like to explore opportunities to exhibit or use CascadeUp.
Photo credit: Digby Oldridge/UCL
Connections are designed to facilitate future disassembly, upgrade and reuse. Product passports maintain a digital record of key information, stored on Madaster’s platform. When no further reuse is possible, the timber can still be recycled into panel products then, after another lifecycle, it can finally be incinerated for energy.
Product passports:
The project has been carried out in partnership with Portakabin, and was supported by UK Research and Innovation Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council.
Photo credit: Digby Oldridge/UCL
Research and development
The timber in existing buildings outweighs the stock in managed forestry in some countries, including the UK.
By repurposing discarded timber as a structural building component, cross-laminated secondary timber increases the built environment's capacity as a store for sequestered carbon.
Research and development
The timber in existing buildings outweighs the stock in managed forestry in some countries, including the UK.
By repurposing discarded timber as a structural building component, cross-laminated secondary timber increases the built environment's capacity as a store for sequestered carbon.
UK CLT Creates Benefits For
People
New jobs in reclamation and local manufacturing close to cities
Fully traceable supply chain from source to end product
Socially fair supply chain
The environment
Lower carbon building materials
Localised waste management and material supplies
Reduced natural resource depletion
The economy
Mitigate against rising material prices
Designed for future deconstruction and high-value reuse
Reduced reliance on imports and reduced UK trade deficit
Publications And Media
Featured in
Videos
Our research has been supported by Danish engineering consultancy, Ramboll, UK Research and Innovation Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council and the National Interdisciplinary Circular Economy Research CE-Hub. With our partners at University College London, we are continuously building our understanding of the properties of secondary timber and methods for efficiently transforming it into new products.
Contact us
If you would like additional information, please don't hesitate to get in touch and we will get straight back to you.