A major industry coalition is developing the Biogenic Stored Carbon Quotient (BSCQ) certification to deliver verified biogenic carbon claims and social value metrics for UK construction projects.
In direct response to the government’s Timber in Construction Roadmap, a partnership led by Grown in Britain is developing the first UK certification scheme to quantify and verify stored biogenic carbon and social value in the built environment.
The initiative brings together contractors, the Forestry Commission, Timber Development UK, Bangor University, the Welsh government, Scottish Forestry and industry leaders under the Timber in Construction Roadmap framework.
The Biogenic Stored Carbon Quotient (BSCQ) certification addresses the need to verify and reward the carbon storage and social value delivered by timber in construction. It represents a major step in aligning the built environment with the UK’s net-zero ambitions.
Key goals of the scheme include recognising and rewarding long-term carbon storage in buildings; driving investment in tree planting, sustainable forest management and domestic material supply chains; and creating new green jobs and industries.
The scheme provides a framework for monitoring, reporting and verifying the greenhouse gas removal potential of timber buildings. It also acknowledges the wider social and economic benefits of using home-grown timber across the UK.
The climate potential of timber
Timber construction offers a scalable, nature-based solution to carbon removal. When incorporated into long-life buildings, timber stores biogenic carbon and contributes to net-zero goals. Yet current whole-life cycle assessment methodologies often overlook this long-term storage benefit.
The new certification scheme fills this gap by quantifying stored carbon, building market confidence in sustainable construction and enabling stored carbon credits to be monetised. It recognises the long-term carbon removal potential of timber construction, incentivising quality and longevity in new developments and refurbishment. The scheme also incorporates social value metrics, including rural job creation, sustainable forestry and community impact.
BSCQ supports government reporting requirements by quantifying stored biogenic carbon to meet national targets and corporate ESG obligations. It allows organisations to demonstrate measurable progress towards net-zero commitments. Additionally, the scheme encourages innovation with modern construction methods such as design for disassembly and material reuse, which are critical aspects of the circular economy.
Strategic partnerships for sector-wide impact
“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,” said 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,” he explained. “At the same time, robust data is available to track progress against climate targets and inform policy decisions.”
Carbon accounting in construction
The scheme is designed to help developers, architects, housing associations and local authorities demonstrate both the climate and social value of their construction projects. In doing so, it could open up new funding opportunities and accelerate the transition to a low-carbon built environment.
“This certification scheme is a game-changer,” said Matthew Riddiford, founder of Carbon Plantations. “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.”
