How can we make building with wood and other natural materials economically attractive as well? That’s the question Jelle de Bijl works on every day. He works at Climate Cleanup, an organization that accelerates natural climate solutions by simply assigning them value. “What we do is facilitate carbon credits for parties that store CO₂ in materials like wood. This helps builders and manufacturers make the shift to biobased construction.”
Financing the Transition Period
De Bijl sees a common challenge among many sustainable frontrunners. They want to transition, but the switch requires time, money, and changes to existing processes. “It’s not that builders don’t want to become more sustainable,” he says. “But if you have to switch to biobased building overnight, you’re facing shrinking margins. Materials need to be certified, knowledge has to be updated, and processes need to be streamlined. We help bridge that gap by mapping out CO₂ storage and assigning financial value to it.” And this approach works: companies can use that CO₂ value to apply for subsidies, attract investors, or win tenders.
Calculating and Trading CO₂
Climate Cleanup has developed a platform where parties can calculate and trade their CO₂ storage: oncra.org. “We provide our protocols there and make sure brokers can trade the credits. That’s important because in the current system, sustainable choices are still not sufficiently rewarded. We’re creating a market where carbon storage does count.”
De Bijl’s work is part technical, part strategic. He extracts data from sustainability documentation provided by builders and manufacturers, calculates how many tons of CO₂ are stored in a product or building, and publishes that value on the platform. “We make it visible how much impact a builder is actually having. Banks, investors, and governments can report on that. Especially with the new EU legislation, that’s becoming increasingly important.”
From Forest to Construction Site
De Bijl hasn’t been with Climate Cleanup very long, but his background fits perfectly. “I studied Forest and Nature Conservation and specialised in international timber trade. During my studies, I was already working on carbon storage in wood and other natural materials. Later, I worked for a certification organisation for sustainable forestry and timber products. That path led me to Climate Cleanup.”
His personal motivation? “Creating a more natural system. Not a linear system where we keep emitting and compensating, but one where we collaborate with nature. Building with wood is a beautiful example of that. It stores CO₂ rather than emitting it, and it’s an excellent material for creating affordable, circular, and beautiful buildings.”
The Market Is Ready
According to De Bijl, interest is growing rapidly. “We’re seeing more and more parties wanting to invest in bio-based construction, but still looking for viable business models. CO₂ credits can play a key role here; not just for producers, but also for clients, architects, and contractors. Everyone in the chain benefits when environmental impact becomes both transparent and tradable.”
His message to the timber construction sector is clear: “Make your CO₂ storage measurable. Show what you’re building, what you’re storing, and what it’s worth. That’s how we pave the way for a sector that builds with nature, rather than against it.”
This article was written by, and published on the website of, HOUTBOUW, and translated by us.