Carbon removal credits: a new sales tool for timber builders

From the forest into the load-bearing structure

The first approaches to carbon removal focused on forests, initially in the Global South and later in temperate forests. Since 2022 the focus has shifted. Bark beetle damage and forest fires have put many forest projects under pressure. At the same time, the construction and real estate sector is moving into view: it accounts for 37 percent of global emissions and will come under regulatory scrutiny from 2028 in the EU and from 2030 in Switzerland.

Vasek points out that international bodies such as the IPCC recognise timber construction as a negative emissions technology. CO₂ is absorbed in the forest, turned into building components along the wood processing chain and kept out of the atmosphere long-term in the load-bearing structure. Technical approaches such as DACCS or BECCS require new facilities. The timber value chain from forest to building already exists, which keeps the additional cost per tonne of CO₂ removed low.

Carbon removal credits are a new acquisition tool for timber builders.

Around 50 projects in certification

Timber Finance began developing its own approach to carbon removal credits for timber construction on the voluntary carbon market in 2022 and has offered them since 2024. At the time of writing, around 50 projects had been registered for certification. At the core of the approach is proof that the carbon removed remains in the timber of the load-bearing structure over the long term. Like every carbon concept, it has to provide solid answers on measurability, verifiability, additionality, double counting and permanence. Vasek therefore advises timber builders to actively tell their clients about this new way of creating value.

How Timber Carbon sees it

What Frank Vasek described in 2025 as a sales tool for timber builders is today at the heart of Timber Carbon, launched in 2026 as a spin-off of Timber Finance. We quantify, certify and monetise the carbon removed in mass timber buildings. Developers and timber builders who want their project assessed can start on our Build biobased page.