Built By Nature
Impact Sector
Green Infrastructure
Type of Strategy
Innovate
Project Location
Europe
Entry Funding
In a nutshell
If our homes were made of sustainably harvested timber, we could avoid over 100 billion tonnes of CO2 emissions by 2100. Manufacturing steel and concrete is extremely damaging for the climate, and timber is the solution most people don’t know about yet. When grown sustainably, timber produces the least CO2 emissions of any building material, and even reduces CO2 in the atmosphere. This project supports initiatives that improve and promote use of timber. It aims to change mindsets across Europe: making the benefits of timber known, and calling into question our reliance on steel and concrete.
Climate Problem
Accounting for nearly 40 per cent of global energy-related carbon emissions, the building sector must play a pivotal role in the transition to a low-carbon and sustainable economy. Currently, the manufacture of steel and concrete account for half of the building sector’s carbon emissions. But replacing these materials will require shifts across technology, culture and mindset.
To address the pollution that comes from construction, the benefits of timber as a building material must be made common knowledge across the building sector – at a scale that can make a difference. At the same time, we need to resolve the remaining obstacles to its adaptation at all stages of its production and use.
Timber doesn’t yet have enough backing to take a prominent place in construction. Creating demand for this climate-friendly building material must be tackled locally, nationally and across the EU. This project promotes timber in construction with stakeholders across the building sector – liaising with local councils, developers, architects and more. Built by Nature (BbN) builds networks and facilitates collaboration, while funding solutions that improve timber use and address remaining barriers.
Project Solution
How we build our homes, schools, shops and roads impacts us all. Built by Nature’s Accelerator Fund evaluates and supports solutions that address the barriers to scaling mass timber. This includes initiatives that tackle technical, regulatory or financial barriers, or new approaches that increase the climate impact of timber buildings through circular thinking and regenerative sourcing.
The Fund has built extensive stakeholder networks, and connects grantees with relevant partners and advisors to maximise their impact. BbN also holds regular roundtables to facilitate information sharing and networking. While the Fund is already up and running, to have greater reach it needs greater support.
Once sustainable buildings are embraced among the demand-side market players across cities, the potential for impact is enormous. To reach this tipping point, BbN supports small and large initiatives at the local and national scale. Using sustainable mass timber means radically reducing embodied carbon; safely storing carbon in buildings for generations; and sequestering carbon through championing forest stewardship and regeneration. In short, it’s a solution for a climate-safe future.
Donate now
“Our fund is a pooled philanthropic fund that we have designed and set up to find, curate and fund targeted solutions to decarbonise construction. Investing in the BbN Fund is an efficient way to ensure a low-risk, structured, and targeted impact through a tried-and-tested grant making mechanism.”
- Operational since July 2021
- Team of 12 employees
- Headquarters in Amsterdam, The Netherlands
About the organisation
Built by Nature is a network and grant-making fund driven by the mission to accelerate the timber building transformation in Europe. The non-profit organisation aspires to move the building sector towards sustainability, and away from carbon-intensive materials. By revolutionising the processes making up the lifecycle of a building, it’s possible to significantly reduce embodied carbon, and the emissions associated with materials and construction processes.
Endorsing partner
The Laudes Foundation is a founding partner of the Built by Nature Fund and helps to accelerate the timber building transformation, connecting industry and city frontrunners, creating the networks and opportunities for sector-shaping coalitions and knowledge sharing.
How your donation helps
We have the unique opportunity to transform our built environment from being one of the largest net emitters of greenhouse gas emissions into being a large-scale carbon sink. In the next few years BnB plans to increase both awareness and uptake of timber as a sustainable alternative, as well as improved regulation. However, securing the broad buy-in of the sector requires greater financial capacity. With your support, BnB can bring us closer to a timber transformation. The Accelerator Fund will speed up the adoption of timber as a climate friendly, fashionable and sustainable alternative building material.
By 2030 there are financial incentives and business models in place for bio-based construction.
The timber supply chains are transparent and traceable, significantly reducing unintended consequences on ecosystems and communities.
Industry standards for best practice timber design and construction improve, and successful examples inspire and educate the industry.
Why we chose the project
"BuiltbyNature has dedicated itself to a complex topic: one that could revolutionise our built environments, and move us closer to carbon neutrality. Their team has already channelled 2.3 million Euros into projects across seven countries – an amount exceeded in co-funding from the market."
Daniel Kruse
Hub Project Lead, Active Philanthropy
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Seed
KEY SUPPORTER
Grow
PROJECT PATRON
Flourish
CLIMATE CHAMPION
Receive bi-annual reports on how your funded project is progressing
Access to exclusive networks or new research, tailored to your funding choice
Meet the people behind the project, ask your questions, and build connection (online)
Book an exchange with our Active team to discuss latest trends in climate funding (online)
Meet the project team in person to see firsthand how your donation made a difference
Meet with other donors we've carefully selected to match your needs and interests
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Built By Nature
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