International Timber supplies Accoya® for The Environment Agency

International Timber teamed up with Accsys and sustainability consultants 540 World to supply a fender made from Accoya® wood to the Environment Agency for inclusion in a trial on the banks of the River Thames in London.

The fenders, an essential part of flood management assets in the Thames Estuary, provide bio-diversity niches in tidal waters, promoting healthy and diverse habitats.

As part of the agency’s TEAM2100 programme, the Accoya fender will be assessed for its suitability to replace the currently-used hardwood fenders in the challenging tidal conditions and contribute to Thames Estuary’s Net Zero ambitions – values which ring true with International Timber.

Accoya® has been chosen because of its Gold Cradle to Cradle certification and its unique suitability for this project. Made from fast-growing softwood, its enhanced properties offer great environmental benefits, and its long-life durability combined with non-toxicity is imperative to the project. Moreover, Accoya’s® stability ensures minimal swelling, shrinkage or warping when immersed in water.

Dr Jo Guy, of the Environment Agency and Environment and Sustainability Manager for TEAM2100 said: “TEAM2100 is the Environment Agency’s 10-year programme to refurbish and replace flood risk management assets in London and the Thames Estuary. Asset management approaches enable sustainable delivery. Choosing construction options and materials are part of this approach, and material ‘provenance’ is key to delivering sustainably.

“Certification processes, such as the Cradle to Cradle Certified™ Products Program, help achieve this and permit identification of materials that consider the effects of their production on the environment, minimise energy and water use and aid social fairness. We look forward to observing the performance of Accoya® wood as a potential substitute for hardwood.”

With each cubic metre of Accoya® containing nearly one tonne of CO2 sequestered from the atmosphere, the fenders will keep that carbon safely stored for decades, helping to slow the impact of our ongoing climate emergency.

We look forward to working with Accsys and the Thames Estuary Environment Agency on future projects, and eagerly anticipate the positive evidence-based results from the installation of our Accoya®.

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