Carbon storage in cities can be increased by correspondingly raising the use of timber in new builds and building renovations. In Europe alone, the total area of new buildings constructed annually is around 190 million square metres, with the majority of new developments taking place in urban areas.

The global building and construction environment is responsible for one-third of GHG emissions annually. A recent Finnish study reveals that in Europe alone, new buildings could sequester 55 million tonnes of carbon dioxide per year if wood is used in their structures, external cladding, various surfaces, internal finishes, and fittings, or if all the aforementioned are produced from wood.