Built by Nature Launches 2025 Prize to Celebrate Global Excellence in Responsible Timber Construction

Winning projects to be showcased in an international campaign, promoted at COP30, and featured in a new documentary film

AMSTERDAM, March 27, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Built by Nature (BbN) is excited to announce the launch of its 2025 global Prize, recognising exemplary real-world applications of the Principles for Responsible Timber Construction in predominantly timber buildings. On April 7, the grant-funding network will open applications for completed and in-use projects, including new builds, renovations, and significant extensions.

The Prize will highlight excellence in demonstration of the Principles, with winners announced at the annual Built by Nature Summit in October. Winning buildings will be showcased at high-profile events and a documentary film premiered at COP, included in an international study tour, and presented as examples of responsible timber construction on the Built by Nature Knowledge Hub.

A panel of international experts from across the construction value chain will judge submissions based on alignment with the Principles. Developed by Built by Nature – in collaboration with the Forest and Climate Leaders Partnership (FCLP), Bauhaus Earth and other stakeholders – the Principles establish a common framework of requirements to ensure the timber building industry can thrive sustainably.

Promoting and leveraging projects that exemplify the Principles, the Prize campaign demonstrates to policymakers and the construction industry the relationship between responsible timber construction and positive outcomes for forests, biodiversity, climate, and communities across the globe.

Paul King, CEO of Built by Nature says: "We are proud to launch our 2025 Prize to recognise the best timber construction projects from around the world. Entrants will be asked to show how their projects align with the Principles for Responsible Timber Construction, using existing project information. The sector is already delivering great timber buildings, now it's time to celebrate success and accelerate its replication."

Prize judge Manuel Pulgar-Vidal, Global Leader of Climate & Energy at WWF and Interim Chair of the IUCN Climate Crisis Commission, says: "The Principles provide consensus-based guidance for policymakers and governments, to inform regulation and support incentives for investment. They can, and should, become the global standard for timber buildings, framed under sustainability rules."

The judging panel also sees a return for Ana Belizário, Sales and Business Development Director of Brazilian mass timber manufacturer Urbem, who judged the first BbN Prize in 2024. She says: "COP30, in my native Brazil, is a huge moment for timber buildings. Ten years after the Paris Agreement, an Amazon COP must focus on timber supply chains so we can build more effectively for people, planet, and nature. This Prize will showcase the very best examples to the world."

The Prize is open to all timber-based buildings that align with the Principles, with the application window opening on April 7. English is the preferred language for applications, with translation provided if required on request. Full details of the application criteria and process can be found on the Built by Nature website.

About Built by Nature

Built by Nature (BbN) is a not-for-profit organisation with a mission to transform the built environment by promoting the responsible use of timber and biobased materials. BbN connects demand-side construction industry leaders, fostering collaboration and knowledge sharing to drive systemic change. Its funding supports innovative cross-sector initiatives that overcome barriers and amplify the role of biobased materials in decarbonising construction for the benefit of climate, nature, and people. https://builtbn.org/