FAQs

Regenerative materials have remained niche in part because there is no visible pipeline of demand. One-off projects do not provide sufficient confidence for suppliers to scale production, or clients and specifiers to design with regenerative materials.

Current development and construction models lock in material and carbon decisions early. By the time contractors and supply chains are engaged, the opportunity to use alternative materials has largely passed.

A Dynamic Marketplace, introduced under the Procurement Act 2023, is a procurement vehicle for contracting authorities that brings more flexibility and innovation to public sector buyers, enabling commissioners and procurers to select from a pre-approved, curated supply chain at each stage of a project.

ROOT to Market is designed to support both established and emerging suppliers, including hyper-local and niche materials. By being perpetually open for new suppliers to join, it provides a more flexible alternative to conventional frameworks, while maintaining rigour and transparency.

A core part of ROOT to Market is its upskilling and support offer. It helps suppliers position their offer, and it works with construction and development clients, both public and private sector, on their emerging designs, across the RIBA Plan of Works, to give them confidence in specifying regenerative materials.

ROOT to Market also supports suppliers of regenerative, circular and low carbon construction materials in an inclusive and realistic way by assessing them on their ambition rather than against exclusive targets. Suppliers will be able to join the marketplace provided they commit to the ROOT to Market Code of Practice, creating a consistent baseline while supporting continuous improvement.

Set up as a not-for-profit procurement platform, ROOT to Market also creates a social impact fund for procurers by using any surplus from the rebate to directly benefit the communities associated with each procurement.

ROOT to Market is managed by Woodknowledge Wales and Value Match and facilitated by Hearts Academies Trust. It has been co-created with the support of leading contractors, designers and procurement specialists including Morgan Sindall Construction, Cundall, Elliott Wood, HLM Architects, Lignum Risk Partners, Reconomy, and Provelio.

Suppliers gain access to a clearer and more consistent pipeline of demand through inclusion in a curated marketplace whilst being able to showcase their sustainability credentials.

ROOT to Market is designed to build supply chain capacity rather than restrict it, assessing suppliers based on maturity and commitment to regenerative outcomes through the ROOT to Market Code of Practice. By providing ongoing support to build capability, it enables suppliers to plan, invest and scale with greater confidence over time.

ROOT to Market enables clients and procurers to make confident and informed decisions around using regenerative materials in their projects by providing access to a pre-approved supply chain, greater visibility of available materials, and a procurement route that aligns with UK policy requirements.

It allows clients to actively shape supply chain behaviour through the requirement to sign up to a rigorous Code of Practice and supports better environmental and social outcomes by translating best practice into a common way of working.

It also helps to derisk novel materials as they enter the value chain, enhancing the procurer’s confidence to make decisions based on less raw extraction, as well as quality, safety and cost.

ROOT to Market demonstrates the viability of construction material choices being driven by carbon, circularity and social outcomes and is designed to move the construction sector to greater use of regenerative materials and support the UK’s growing circular economy.

The ROOT Hub supports ROOT to Market with a wider set of enabling activities, including:

• Training programmes for contractors and suppliers
• A Regenerative Material Advisory Panel to help clients establish briefs, review projects and manage the design process to use regenerative materials well
• Supports the creation of bespoke insurance and warranty solutions

Private sector procurers will have an identical experience to contracting authorities by procuring through ROOT to Market, albeit that it will be facilitated through a separate platform designed for a private sector context.