Major industry coalition develops Biogenic Stored Carbon Quotient (BSCQ) certification to address need for verified biogenic carbon claims

In direct response to the Government’s Timber in Construction Roadmap, a groundbreaking partnership led by Grown in Britain is developing the first comprehensive UK certification scheme to quantify and verify stored biogenic carbon and social value in the built environment. 

The initiative brings together tier-one contractors, the Forestry Commission, Timber Development UK, Bangor University, the Welsh Government, Scottish Forestry, and industry leaders under the Timber in Construction Roadmap Framework. 

BSCQ addresses the need to verify and reward the carbon storage and social value delivered by timber in construction. This enterprise marks a significant step forward in aligning the built environment with the UK’s net-zero ambitions and the Timber in Construction Roadmap priorities, some key themes of which are:

• Recognise and reward the role of long-term carbon storage in the built environment.
• Drive investment into tree planting, sustainable forest management and domestic material supply chains.
• Create new green jobs and industries.

The scheme provides a robust framework for monitoring, reporting, and verifying (MRV) the greenhouse gas removal (GGR) potential of timber buildings. It also recognises the wider social and economic benefits of using home-grown timber across the UK.

Unlocking the Climate Potential of Timber

Timber construction offers a scalable, nature-based solution to carbon removal. When used in long-life buildings, timber stores biogenic carbon, contributing towards net zero ambitions. Yet current whole life cycle assessment methodologies often fail to account for this long-term storage benefit.

The new certification scheme addresses this gap by:

• Quantifying stored carbon addressing greenwashing concerns and building market confidence in sustainable construction credentials.
• Enables stored carbon credits to be monetised – driving increased use of biogenic materials, reducing greenhouse gas emissions across the built environment
• Recognising the long-term storage GGR potential of TiC – incentivising quality and longevity in new developments and refurbishment.
• Incorporating social value metrics, including rural job creation, sustainable forestry, and community impact.

In addition, BSCQ supports reporting requirements by quantifying stored biogenic carbon to meet government targets and corporate ESG obligations, helping organisations demonstrate measurable progress towards their net zero commitments. Furthermore, it acts as a catalyst for innovation, promoting modern construction methods, including design for disassembly and material reuse – critical components of the circular economy approach. 

“It was important for us to not only address needs across the entire construction ecosystem, but to bring together strategic partners to enable a sector-wide solution’ says Dougal Driver, CEO of Grown in Britain.  

“Contractors and developers can showcase verified sustainability credentials and enable new financing opportunities through carbon credit monetisation. Fit-out specialists benefit from clear metrics to demonstrate the carbon storage value of their biogenic material choices. At the same time robust data is available to track progress against climate targets and inform policy decisions.” 

A New Era for Carbon Accounting in Construction

“This certification scheme is a game-changer,” said Matthew Riddiford, Founder, Carbon Plantations Limited

“It enables the construction sector to move beyond emissions reduction and embrace carbon storage as a strategic climate solution. Timber buildings are not just low-carbon—they store carbon in the long term. And now, we can prove it.”

The scheme is designed to support developers, architects, housing associations, and local authorities in demonstrating the climate and social value of their construction projects—unlocking access to new funding opportunities and accelerating the transition to a low-carbon built environment.