As the planning for the 2012 London Olympics starts in earnest, there is no better time to consider the contribution timber can make towards creating a legacy of practical, sustainable and beautiful sports buildings.

The large, clear spaces crucial to sports events can be achieved by using a variety of spans and forms, straight or curved, simple or compound, combined with decorative finishes, providing stunning visual solutions that can be complemented by the beauty and warmth of wood joinery.

Aesthetics is only one of the benefits that wood offers. It is also the only sustainable and renewable building material. More than 90% of wood used in Europe comes from European forests which are in surplus production and well-managed. Increasing amounts of FSC and PEFC certified timber are also available. Using wood from sustainable forests also reduces a building's carbon footprint. Wood has the lowest CO2 emissions of any major building material, with every cubic metre of sawn softwood saving on average almost two tonnes of CO2 over other materials.

Wood is light and strong. Structural steel is typically 20% and concrete 600% heavier than the glulam. This spells savings on foundations, transport and erection. Engineered wood solutions are made in controlled conditions and site erected with minimum labour, time and snagging.

Timber was the obvious environmental choice for the Sydney Olympics in 2002 – the first 'green Games'. The dome of the Sydney Showground Olympic Exhibition Centre is the largest clear span timber structure in Australia, standing 42m high and 97m across. Also, the operable walls give flexible subdivision of space, and the consequent roof stabilisation is achieved without relying on stiff shear walls through arched and trussed glulam bracing components.

The Salzburg Arena has a 81x107m envelope

At the Prien Swimming Pool in Bavaria, curved laminated timber 'roof trees' and a shell-shaped plan have resulted in a dramatic building with excellent natural lighting through its 1,800m2 transparent roof and a low mass to help overcome problems with difficult foundation conditions. It is resistant to the chemicals and humidity associated with indoor pools.

The Salzburg Arena, completed in 2003, is one of the largest timber structures recently built in Austria. The building has an 81x107m envelope, providing an arena area of 2,650m2 and a capacity of 6,700 spectators for sports events. Besides sports, the facility is used for a range of entertainment and business events.

In Luxembourg, the National Sports and Cultural Centre covers 13ha within the broadleaved woods of a central city park in Kirchberg. Known as 'd'Coque', the French for a fuselage or shell, the building boasts one of the largest free spans in Europe, with its reticulated glulam roof spanning 95m. The total roof surface of 18,500m2 collects rainwater for use within the complex and ultimately for return to the lake.

D'Coque in Luxembourg features a reticulated glulam roof spanning 95m

To support the case for timber sports stadia, wood for good and TRADA have produced a 48-page publication that demonstrates the potential of engineered timber solutions for the Olympic developments. It includes an in-depth look at 20 of Europe's timber-based stadia, covering design concepts, construction method and the buildings’ legacy. Several UK timber industry bodies, including wood for good, have also launched a new initiative, “Wood for Gold” to lobby for the use of timber in the London Games facilities.