Reversing the climate crisis

Timber Finance's building approach

Hochparterre describes how Timber Finance has been developing a methodology for multi-storey timber buildings under Verra's Verified Carbon Standard since 2022. It generates avoidance credits for emissions saved and carbon removal credits for the carbon held in the timber. Only structural timber is counted, and 70 percent of it is certified. Around 45 pilot projects were to be submitted once the methodology was recognised.

As a strength, the article notes that there are no additional costs: credit revenues offset the extra costs of timber buildings and also benefit forest managers. According to the article, developers receive 50 to 60 percent of the revenues and 20 percent goes to the forest.

Carbon removal means taking CO₂ out of the atmosphere and locking it away. There is no other way to reach net zero.

A focus on open questions

Hochparterre also addresses the weak points: permanence beyond the credit issuance period, additionality given complex investment decisions and possible double counting between forest, sawmill and building approaches. The Senke Schweizer Holz association also voices a critical view of the voluntary market.

How Timber Carbon sees it

The article reflects the state of play in 2025 and takes seriously the questions every carbon removal credit has to answer. Timber Carbon, launched in 2026 as a spin-off of Timber Finance, now works with the ICVCM-approved Rainbow Standard and its Biobased Construction Materials methodology. Our technology page explains how we address permanence and double counting.