LONDON, November 14, 2008 — The Olympic Delivery Authority (ODA) has announced the suppliers selected for the ODA’s Timber Supplier Panel which will ensure that only legal and sustainable timber is used during the construction of the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games venues and infrastructure.
All timber procured through the ODA’s supply chain contracts will be supplied by the Timber Supplier Panel under a groundbreaking scheme which is an important part of making London 2012 a truly sustainable Games.
David Higgins, ODA Chief Executive said: 'This is the first time that such a panel has been established on a project of this scale, and we hope that it will be a catalyst for change and leave a lasting legacy for the industry.
'We want London 2012 to be a truly sustainable Games and this new supplier panel shows that this ambition runs through the heart of the construction project.'
The ODA has also published a progress report on its sustainability targets and achievements to date, detailing the progress being made in the sustainable design and construction of the London 2012 venues and infrastructure.
The online document sets out how the ODA is aiming to raise the bar for sustainable development standards by bringing together all elements of sustainability. The document can be read online – http://www.london2012.com/documents/oda-publications/sustainability-update-interactive.pdf
Dan Epstein, ODA Head of Sustainability, said: 'Sustainability underpinned London’s bid for the 2012 Games, and is now at the heart of the ODA’s work to design and build the venues and infrastructure for both Games and the legacy communities.
'This progress report is essentially a snapshot of key achievements and demonstrates that we are setting new standards in sustainable development.'
The Timber Supply Panel will supply up to an estimated 600,000 square metres of hardwood, softwood, plywood and other products and 40,000 metres cubed of softwood timber to the ODA's contractors and their suppliers.
The timber suppliers will also have to ensure that they have comprehensive certification and sufficient auditing in place to ensure standards are met throughout their supply chains.