Two Turkish government institutions have signed a cooperation protocol aimed at expanding the use of wood in construction, with a focus on technical standards, industrial capacity and the development of energy-efficient timber buildings.

🌳 The initiative could have important implications for the wood industry, sawmills, structural timber producers, CLT and glulam manufacturers, panel producers and companies supplying wood construction systems, particularly given Turkey's large construction sector and its strong commercial links with Europe.

Two Turkish Agencies Aim to Accelerate Wood Construction

The protocol was signed on 24 September 2026 between Turkey's General Directorate of Forestry - OGM and the General Directorate of Professional Services within the Ministry of Environment, Urbanisation and Climate Change.

The cooperation forms part of the "Promoting Low Cost Energy Efficient Wooden Buildings in Turkiye" project, which aims to increase the use of modern timber technologies in the building sector.

The partnership focuses on several areas:

• development of standards for wood construction materials;
• development of design and building standards;
• strengthening technical capacity within the sector;
• promoting greater use of wood in construction;
• supporting energy-efficient and sustainable buildings;
• joint research, development and professional training activities.

CLT and Modern Timber Technologies Are Central to the Project

🪵 The UNDP-supported programme places particular emphasis on modern technologies such as Cross-Laminated Timber - CLT, which enable structural wood to be used in buildings with high technical and energy performance.

The project is designed to address several barriers currently limiting the development of modern timber construction in Turkey, including incomplete regulation, lack of standards, initial costs, technical capacity and limited familiarity with engineered wood systems.

For material manufacturers, the development of clear standards is particularly important because it can create a more predictable market for strength-graded structural timber, CLT, glulam, LVL, wood panels and prefabricated timber systems.

At Least Six Pilot Timber Buildings and 8,400 m2

The programme includes at least six pilot timber building projects with a total floor area of approximately 8,400 m2.

Over the longer term, the project aims for these demonstrations, together with regulatory and market changes, to help catalyse approximately 580,000 m2 of additional new wood construction by 2029.

📊 Although this target should not be interpreted as guaranteed commercial volume for the industry, it shows that Turkish authorities intend to move timber construction beyond a niche market and into a more established segment of the building industry.

National Standards for Timber Materials and Buildings

One of the most important elements of the cooperation is the development of the technical framework for wood construction.

The institutions will work on standards for wood construction materials and timber building execution, as well as technical documentation, guidance and research programmes.

This is essential for the development of modern timber systems, which require clear rules regarding:

• structural performance;
• fire safety;
• moisture and durability;
• seismic behaviour;
• energy efficiency;
• grading and certification of timber materials.

Seismic Conditions Could Increase Interest in Lightweight Timber Structures

🌳 Turkey is a market where seismic performance is particularly important.

Modern timber structures generally have lower structural mass than many conventional systems, which can provide advantages in earthquake-resistant design when buildings are properly engineered and constructed.

CLT, glulam and prefabricated timber systems can also offer a higher degree of factory-controlled production and shorter on-site assembly times.

These characteristics could support the use of wood in public buildings, schools, housing, tourism projects and modular construction.

Opportunities for European Wood Suppliers

The expansion of wood construction in Turkey could create opportunities not only for local companies but also for European suppliers.

Manufacturers in Italy, Austria, Germany, Romania and the Nordic countries have significant experience in structural timber, glulam, CLT, LVL, prefabrication and timber construction technologies.

Commercial interest is already visible, with European industry organisations and companies increasingly examining the Turkish market for timber construction systems and technology partnerships.

For suppliers in Central and Eastern Europe, geographical proximity and access to softwood production may represent advantages for selected product categories.

Wood Availability Will Become Increasingly Important

Growth in structural timber construction also means higher demand for wood raw material with predictable technical characteristics.

WoodBusinessPortal.com has analysed how economic wood availability is becoming increasingly important for sawmills, processors and timber traders across Europe.

🪵 For construction, the existence of forest resources alone is not sufficient. The industry needs suitable species, kiln-dried lumber, structural grading, standardised dimensions and reliable supply chains.

Rapid development of Turkey's timber construction sector could therefore create additional demand for regional softwood suppliers.

Lumber Prices Could Influence the Pace of Development

The cost of material remains one of the main factors determining the competitiveness of timber construction.

European sawmills are already operating in an environment characterised by relatively high raw material costs and cautious demand for processed timber.

WoodBusinessPortal.com has reported that Europe's lumber market has tightened as demand for softwood sawn timber, engineered wood products and wood-based construction materials gradually recovers.

For Turkish projects, the competitiveness of wood systems will depend on the relationship between:

• log and lumber prices;
• drying and processing costs;
• CLT and glulam manufacturing costs;
• transport and logistics;
• speed of installation;
• total structural cost;
• long-term energy performance.

Turkey Could Become a Regional Timber Construction Market

🌳 Turkey's large construction sector and its geographical position between Europe, the Caucasus, the Middle East and Central Asia could make the country an important regional market for modern timber technologies.

If standards, pilot projects and industrial capacity develop according to plan, Turkey could become both a significant consumer and a regional producer of engineered wood systems.

This trend should also be viewed in the broader European context. WoodBusinessPortal.com's coverage of the German Wood Congress 2026 highlights how timber construction, raw material availability and industrial policy are becoming strategic issues for Europe's wood sector.

Wood Products That Could Benefit From Market Expansion

🪵 For wood manufacturers and exporters, growth in Turkey could increase demand for:

• C24 structural timber;
• kiln-dried and calibrated lumber;
• CLT - Cross-Laminated Timber;
• glulam - glued laminated timber;
• LVL;
• beams and structural components;
• wood-based panels;
• prefabricated timber systems;
• timber façades and joinery;
• fire protection systems for wood buildings;
• machinery and technology for engineered wood production.

Potential Impact for the Italian and European Wood Industry

Italy could play an important role through companies active in architecture, engineering, woodworking machinery, joinery, façades and premium construction products.

At the same time, European countries with significant structural lumber and engineered wood capacity could benefit directly from additional demand.

A more developed Turkish timber construction market could also create partnerships between local manufacturers and European suppliers of technology, know-how and building systems.

2027-2029 Outlook

The protocol signed in September 2026 should primarily be viewed as an industrial policy and technical development initiative, rather than as a guaranteed procurement programme.

However, the presence of pilot projects, UNDP involvement and plans for national technical standards give the market a more concrete framework than general policy support alone.

📊 For the 2027-2029 period, the wood industry should monitor:

• publication of new technical standards;
• implementation of the six pilot buildings;
• public tenders for timber buildings;
• investment in local CLT and glulam production;
• structural lumber imports;
• timber and engineered wood prices;
• partnerships between Turkish companies and European suppliers.

Wood Construction and Market Intelligence for Industry Professionals

WoodBusinessPortal.com follows developments across the European and international wood industry, including wood prices, lumber, timber construction, CLT, glulam, imports, exports and engineered wood products.

🪵 Do you manufacture structural lumber, beams, panels, timber houses or other wood construction materials?
Publish your requests and offers on www.WoodBusinessPortal.com and connect with wood producers, builders, distributors, traders and professional buyers.

🌳 Looking for new markets for your wood products?
Follow WoodBusinessPortal.com for developments in imports, exports, wood prices and projects that may generate new commercial opportunities.

📊 Monitoring structural timber demand, lumber availability and investment in wood construction can help companies identify market changes before they become fully reflected in prices and order books.

Sources:

General Directorate of Forestry - OGM
UNDP Turkiye
Lesprom Network
Fordaq