DAVID MURRAY, Head of Technical Affairs & Ireland Sales at MEDITE SMARTPLY, answers questions about new EU regulations for classifying construction materials and how wood panel products may be viewed in future under the new EU Taxonomy for sustainable activities.
The carbon impact of the built environment comprises embodied carbon resulting from the manufacture, maintenance and disposal of the construction products that make up a building or structure and operational carbon from the type of energy or heating systems within buildings.
Timber frame is the most widely used construction method in the world, accounting for over 70% of new construction projects in the developed world globally and now 50% of the Irish market. It offers significant environmental benefits compared to traditional building materials. For example, it can reduce the whole life carbon, the full carbon impact of the built environment. It can reduce the embodied emissions in a single building by 20% to 60%. Where timber has been harvested from sustainably managed forests, timber products also act as a carbon store, locking away carbon for the duration of that product’s life (and the life of any recycled wood products made from the original product).
The European Green Deal
The European Green Deal is a policy package aimed at guiding the EU towards climate neutrality by 2050. It includes regulations such as the revised Energy Performance of Buildings Directive (EPBD) and the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD), which requires companies to report on their environmental, social, and governance (ESG) impacts. The CSRD integrates the EU Taxonomy, a system for standardising sustainability criteria across sectors to define environmentally sustainable activities.
MEDITE SMARTPLY
MEDITE SMARTPLY is part of Coillte, an innovative FSC-certified Irish forestry and forest products manufacturer. Based in Clonmel and Waterford. it produces a versatile range of medium-density fibreboard (MDF) and oriented strand board (OSB) building products.
David Murray, Head of Technical Affairs & Ireland Sales at MEDITE SMARTPLY, welcomes the new Green Deal and the requirement for CSRD reporting, which he believes “is a good thing for responsible manufacturers”. He adds that MEDITE SMARTPLY has been working with customers to interpret the implications of Green Deal regulations and how they might approach specifying and dealing with wood panel products under the new directives and EU Taxonomy.
In terms of sustainability, what benefits do MEDITE SMARTPLY products offer Irish customers?
“Ireland is the home market for MEDITE SMARTPLY, and being part of Coillte Group allows us to assure customers that products are responsibly sourced from dual FSC- and PEFC-certified forests in Ireland.
“Our Irish customers benefit from security of supply, safe in the knowledge that the products they buy have been grown in a local forest, have captured CO2 locally, and have a lower carbon footprint than products that have been imported.
In addition, our focus on growing in the local Irish market benefits the local job market and economy. According to a COFORD report, the Irish forest sector contributes more than €2bn to the local economy each year and provides almost 10,000 jobs between the forestry and wood products manufacturing sectors. We’re proud to be a part of that.”
How are MEDITE SMARTPLY products assisting the transition to a circular construction economy?
“Wood chip accounts for 60% of MEDITE MDF raw material. This sawmill byproduct is known as ‘pre-consumer recycled content’. Using this ‘waste’ to manufacture MDF locks up carbon for the lifetime of the products, and it is a far more sustainable and environmentally friendly use of wood chip than burning it for biomass, which releases CO2 back to the atmosphere instantly.
“MEDITE SMARTPLY is at the forefront of cutting-edge R&D and is working closely with innovative companies in the industry who share a common goal to re-use post-consumer MDF fibre, thereby greatly enhancing its circularity. State-of-the-art technology is being developed to recover MDF fibres from ‘post-consumer’ waste MDF for re-use in MDF and wood fibre insulation, among other uses.”
What is your understanding of the EU Taxonomy at the moment, and how do you see it evolving to include wood panel products?
“Like everyone else, I am trying to fully understand the EU Taxonomy. My understanding is that manufacturers of wood-based panels are indirectly affected by the EU Taxonomy, even though the manufacturing of wood-based panels is not yet included as an ‘Economic Activity’ within the Taxonomy. However, raw material supply, utilities and some end-user segments are EU Taxonomy eligible.
“The sectors and economic activities covered by the EU Taxonomy are continuously expanding. Forestry and construction & real estate are currently included. Therefore, it is my understanding that, as wood flows through the supply chain, companies not yet required to report according to the EU Taxonomy need to understand the impact on their whole value chain.
“The CSRD is present throughout the supply chain, and this reporting is mandatory, which is why I believe our industry sector is indirectly affected by the EU Taxonomy. The two are separate but interlinked. The EU Taxonomy is here to stay, and I think that’s a good thing for responsible manufacturers.
“As money drives all economic activity, most financial products are covered by the EU Taxonomy, and as financiers, investors and developers are required to report on more and more ‘green credentials’ for their real estate portfolios, this can only lead to increased demand for products classified as ‘sustainable’, and there is no greater sustainable building product than wood — but only if that wood comes from responsibly managed and certified sources.
“Overall, the EU Taxonomy is an exciting and rewarding opportunity for responsible manufacturers and suppliers in the wood-based panels sector.”
What are the key directives/regulations that relate to wood-based panels?
“The manufacturing of wood-based panels is governed by the Harmonised European Standard EN-13986:2004+A1:2015 ‘Wood-based panels for use in construction – Characteristics, evaluation of conformity and marking’. This is our core standard, and other standards fall under its scope, such as the manufacturing standards for MDF and OSB; formaldehyde release; reaction to fire; and so on. Compliance confers a presumption of ‘fitness for purpose’ for a particular intended end use.”
Is the CE Mark relevant in this context?
“EN-13986 states that, in order to CE mark wood-based panels, conformity with System 2+ must be documented. This entails factory inspection, continuous surveillance, assessment and approval of the factory production control by a Third Party Notified Body (National Standards Authority of Ireland, NSAI).
“Where MEDITE SMARTPLY improves the characteristics for Reaction to Fire, such as with MEDITE FR Euroclass B MDF, the system for CE marking is changed from system 2+ to system 1. This involves much greater involvement of a Third Party Notified Body in the sampling, testing and certification of the product and a product certificate called ‘CE certificate of constancy of performance’ is mandatory.
“All products manufactured by MEDITE SMARTPLY are CE marked before they leave the factories in Clonmel and Waterford, which gives our customers the clearest and simplest route to compliance. Product-specific characteristics covered by the CE Mark are found in the mandatory DOP for each product, which is available to download on our website.”
EU Taxonomy compliance for wood panel products is not mandatory at the moment but will most likely be in the future. How is MEDITE SMARTPLY preparing for possible client needs in terms of compliance?
“Although EU Taxonomy is not currently directly mandatory for manufacturing wood panels, it’s still important that we keep up to date with the latest regulations and changes that affect the wider industry and supply chain. It’s good practice to ensure all mandatory and certain voluntary certifications remain up to date, and that’s what we do. This allows us to identify how non-mandatory regulation like the EU Taxonomy can indirectly impact our sector, such as through the CSRD. “To support specifiers and the industry overall, we liaise with the entire supply chain and maintain a close collaboration and dialogue with specifiers, customers and end-users.”
What opportunities does the EU Taxonomy present for timber products?
“The EU Taxonomy is designed to support the transformation of the EU economy to meet its European Green Deal objectives. It helps investors to understand whether an economic activity is environmentally sustainable or not, and this, in turn, helps investors and developers embrace the transition to a low-carbon built environment.
“Timber is a low-carbon building product that comes with a wide range of economic, environmental and social benefits and, therefore, a massive opportunity exists for tried-and-tested sustainable timber products to replace more traditional construction materials with far higher carbon footprints.”
The CSRD, EU Taxonomy and other EU regulations affecting sustainable products and investment are causing some confusion. Can you guide customers around these issues?
“MEDITE SMARTPLY endeavours to provide its customers with clear and reliable information on our mandatary (and voluntary) obligations in relation to all aspects of sustainability. It is a complex arena, but we welcome and encourage our customers, end-users and specifiers to contact us with any queries.
“This type of regulation, although often very onerous and costly, is generally welcomed by responsible companies in the supply chain. Hopefully, It will end the placing of uncertified, unsustainable and unsafe products on the market, often with false or misleading claims about sustainability.”
What can specifiers expect from MEDITE SMARTPLY in terms of data and support?
“We pride ourselves on the amount of technical data and industry-leading support we offer specifiers. Every product comes with easy online access to its Declaration of Performance (DOP), and we provide third-party verified Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs) for every MDF and OSB product that we manufacture, which improves data on timber construction and whole-life carbon.
“Our support for specifiers is built around honesty and integrity, with a genuine willingness to listen to design challenges and help specifiers improve the quality of design and construction.”
If you have any queries about MEDITE SMARTPLY’s product range or wish to learn more about any of the technical issues discussed in this article, email info@mdfosb.com or phone +44 (0) 1322 42490
About David Murray
A University of Limerick graduate in Wood Science and Technology, David Murray has 26 years of experience in technical and commercial roles within the timber industry in Ireland and the UK, including working as a Timber Frame Consultant for TRADA. His expertise spans wood-based panels, engineered wood products, timber frame, and modern methods of construction (MMC). David Murray’s career path in MEDITE SMARTPLY has progressed from technical manager to head of innovation before taking on his current role focused on the commercialisation and strategic growth of the company’s extensive range of speciality and technical MDF and OSB products. He is a regular public speaker on technical topics relating to the correct specification of engineered wood products in construction, including reaction to fire, building physics and sustainability.
MEDITE SMARTPLY PRODUCTS
MDF
MEDITE OPTIMA: High-quality moisture-resistant MDF with enhanced machinability and a smooth finish, ideal for kitchen/bathroom furniture, mouldings, window boards, flooring, and interior joinery.
MEDITE MR PLUS: Premium moisture-resistant MDF with a UV-cured opaque coating on both sides, suited for exhibition stands, shop fit-outs, and kitchen/bathroom furniture.
MEDITE TRICOYA EXTREME: Highly durable, dimensionally stable MDF made from acetylated wood fibre, suitable for challenging environments. Lightweight, sustainable, with a 50-year above-ground and 25-year inground guarantee.
OSB
SMARTPLY ULTIMA OSB/4: Superior strength, moisture-resistant OSB for offsite construction, available in large panel sizes, ideal for wall, floor, and roof cassettes.
SMARTPLY AIRTIGHT: The world’s first certified airtight OSB, providing superior airtightness with an integrated vapour control layer. Designed for structural sheathing, it simplifies installation by eliminating the need for separate membranes.