Updated by "Forest Circular Economy" Editorial Board on July 15, 2025, 10:00 AM JST
Editorial Board, Forest Circular Economy
Forestcircularity-editor
We aim to realize "Vision 2050: Japan Shines, Forest Circular Economy" promoted by the Platinum Forest Industry Initiative. We will disseminate ideas and initiatives to promote biomass chemistry, realize woody and lumbery communities, and encourage innovation in the forestry industry in order to fully utilize forest resources to decarbonize the economy, strengthen economic security, and create local communities.
Hokkaido has established a system to certify houses made of Hokkaido timber as "HOKKAIDO WOOD HOUSE" and began operating the system in June. Through the certified houses, the appeal of Hokkaido's wood products will be communicated, and the use of wood in buildings will be promoted to raise awareness and promote the use of Hokkaido's wood products.
There are two types of certification under this system: "Certified Standard" and "Recommended Standard" which is a higher level of certification. Those that meet the "Recommended Criteria" will be eligible for subsidies for new homes built with Hokkaido timber, and will also be eligible for preferential interest rates on mortgage loans from partner financial institutions.
Application for certification can be made by the owner, designer, or builder of the house in question. However, to apply, the designer or builder of the house must be registered as a HOKKAIDO WOOD Member and be willing to actively promote the HOKKAIDO WOOD brand.
Cost is often a barrier to introducing the use of wood in housing. The financial benefits provided by this program, such as subsidies and preferential mortgage interest rates, provide a direct and effective incentive for builders to choose Hokkaido timber.
If this program is widely utilized, it will strengthen the cycle of "local production for local consumption," in which timber production, processing, and consumption are all completed within a region, and may lead to the revitalization of the forestry and related industries. It is hoped that Hokkaido's efforts will spread throughout Japan as a model case for balancing local economic cycles and the creation of a decarbonized society.
■Outline of Certification System
(1) Certification Criteria (Houses that meet the following criteria are certified as HOKKAIDO WOOD HOUSE)
・Detached houses in Japan (excluding cases where only fixtures, wooden decks, outbuildings, and wooden fences are constructed).
In principle, houses that use Hokkaido timber products (whose place of origin is certified as being in Hokkaido under the legal timber certification system) for structural, interior, and exterior materials and that have a high PR effect.
In principle, construction is completed or scheduled to be completed in April 2019 or later.
(2) Recommended standards (set to further promote the use of Hokkaido timber in housing and the construction of high-performance housing)
Housing that meets the certification criteria in (1)
Houses that use at least 0.1 cubic meter of Hokkaido wood products per square meter of gross floor area
Housing that conforms to the ZEH level (heat insulation performance grade 5 and primary energy consumption grade 6)
