The Alliance for Sustainable Building Products (ASBP) and its partners are pleased to announce a new project focused on improving the assessment and repair of mass timber buildings affected by damage. The initiative will develop practical guidance to help the sector respond with greater confidence, while also improving understanding of repair pathways, costs and timescales.
Insurance provision for mass timber buildings has improved significantly since the launch of the Mass Timber Insurance Playbook, which has received international recognition. However, challenges to scaling up mass timber remain.
There is currently a limited evidence base on repair following damage caused by water, fire, fungal rot or infestation. There is far less shared knowledge on how damage should be investigated, how far it may extend, and what level of repair is appropriate than exists for steel and concrete structures, where insurers can typically draw on long-established repair protocols and more predictable cost models.
Where repair routes are unclear, projects may default to non-biobased materials, even where mass timber could deliver substantial carbon and wider environmental benefits. This project aims to reduce that uncertainty, increase confidence among insurers, and support project teams by providing clearer approaches to damage investigation, repair, and reinstatement.
The project is funded by Built by Nature, with co-funding from RISCAuthority and PEFC UK. One of its key strengths is the breadth of expertise within the team. ASBP is leading and managing the work, while Jim Glockling, co-author of the Mass Timber Insurance Playbook, is providing technical direction.
Implementing partners include Buro Happold, Elliott Wood, Eurban, KLH, Lignum Risk Partners, Ramboll and TIAS. The wider stakeholder group includes insurers and brokers, the Association of British Insurers, Architype, BE-ST, B&K Hybrid Solutions, Heyne Tillett Steel, Structural Timber Association, Timber Innovation from Baden-Württemberg in Germany, and Byggeskadefonden in Denmark.
The project brings together expertise from across the technical, insurance and delivery communities. This cross-sector input is essential to ensure the guidance is technically robust, credible to insurers and practical for those designing and delivering mass timber buildings.
The main output will be practical guidance on damage assessment and repair, which will:
- Consolidate international best practice and expert knowledge, so users are not relying on fragmented information
- Set out practical test suites for different forms of damage, including fire, smoke, water, moisture, rot and related issues, helping investigators choose proportionate methods of assessment
- Map repair pathways, so there is clearer agreement on the repair options available and the circumstances in which they are appropriate
- Support insurance pre-qualification by helping to define in advance, before any loss occurs, which repair approaches may be acceptable to insurers.
“If we can demonstrate that mass timber buildings can be assessed and repaired with rigour, clarity and speed, we remove a major barrier to mainstream adoption.” – Jim Glockling, co-author of the Mass Timber Insurance Playbook
The project started in January 2026 and will run for 14 months, concluding with an in-person launch event in Spring 2027. To keep up to date with the latest project updates, subscribe to the free ASBP newsletter.
If you have a case study or relevant insights to share, please contact the project manager – Dr Asselia Katenbayeva at asselia@asbp.org.uk.
About ASBP
The Alliance for Sustainable Building Products (ASBP) is a non-profit organisation dedicated to promoting the use of demonstrably sustainable building products. Their mission is to accelerate the transition to a high-performance, healthy, and low-carbon built environment by championing the understanding and adoption of sustainable building materials and practices.
The ASBP’s cross-sector alliance totals over 160 members and comprises of building product manufacturers and distributors, specifiers, designers, contractors, public interest and sustainability organisations, and other building practitioners.
Find out more about the benefits of membership, register for upcoming events, download free resources and more at https://asbp.org.uk.
About Built by Nature
Built by Nature (BbN) is a not-for-profit organisation, with a mission to lead a global transformation of the built environment by accelerating the responsible use of timber and biobased materials. BbN connects demand-side construction industry leaders across Europe – from city officials and developers to architects and investors – fostering collaboration and knowledge sharing to drive systemic change. Its funding enables innovative cross-sector initiatives that overcome challenges and amplify the role of biobased materials in decarbonising construction for the benefit of climate, nature, and people. Find out more at https://builtbn.org/.
About RISC Authority
RISCAuthority is an annually funded research scheme administered by the Fire Protection Association (FPA) and supported by a significant group of UK insurers. It publishes extensive guides and recommendations for risk management in fire and security, with a core purpose of continually raising resilience standards within the business community. Find out more at https://www.thefpa.co.uk/research/riscauthority.
About PEFC UK
PEFC is an international non-profit, non-governmental organisation dedicated to promoting Sustainable Forest Management (SFM) through independent third-party certification. PEFC works throughout the entire forest supply chain to promote good practice in the forest and to ensure that timber and non-timber forest products are produced with respect for the highest ecological, social and ethical standards. PEFC’s distinctive ‘green trees’ logo make it a truly global brand and means customers and consumers are able to identify products from sustainably managed forests. Find out more at https://pefc.co.uk.