wood for building · 2020. 5. 5. · wood as a green building material. according to the u.s....

Wood for Building Green

A PRACTICAL GUIDE

A M E T A F O R E P U B L I C A T I O N

R E S O U R C E S F O R A R C H I T E C T S

A N D B U I L D E R S • 2 0 0 3 E D I T I O N

Wood for Building Green Project GuideDeveloped by Metafore

By specifying environmentally responsible wood products, architects, designers, developers and building owners can take full advantage of wood’s exceptional appearance and performance properties, while allowing building projects to earn wood-related credits under many ‘green’ building programs. The Wood for Building Green Project Guide introduces salvaged wood, recycled-content, and certified wood products. It provides strategies for specifying these wood products, and offers resources for achieving wood related green building program credits. This guide also provides information and opportunities for specifying and sourcing wood products in innovative ways that support healthy communities and forest ecosystems throughout the world.

Metafore is a non-profit organization committed to bridging the interests of business and the environment through the smart and responsible use of forest products. The Wood for Building Green Project Guide is a component of Metafore’s ongoing efforts to create awareness and knowledge among forest product buyers regarding ways to use the power of their purchasing activities to support the health and integrity of the world’s forests.

1

Table of ContentsUsing This Guide . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

Section 1: Wood as a Green Building Material . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-5

Section 2: Achieving Green Building Credits Using Wood . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-13 A: Building Green with Salvaged Wood Products . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-7 B: Building Green with Recycled-Content Wood Products . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-10 C: Building Green with Certified Wood Products . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-13

Section 3: Project Forms . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14-17

Section 4: Building Forests by Building Green . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18-25 A: Grade Implications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19-20 B: Alternative Species Use . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21-22 C: Illegal Logging . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23-24

D: High Conservation Value Forests . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25

Section 5: Resources for Building Green . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26-27

2

Using This GuideThe Wood for Building Green Project Guide is divided into five sections:

1) Wood as a Green Building Material2) Achieving Green Building Credits Using Wood 3) Project Forms 4) Building Forests by Building Green 5) Resources for Building Green

SECTION 1Wood as a Green Building Material provides an overview of the environmental attributes of wood and offers some background information about why wood is considered a green building material. In fact, many suggest that demand for wood from well-managed forests holds the key to improving forest health over time.

SECTION 2Achieving Green Building Credits Using Wood introduces and defines three types of environmentally preferable wood products currently recognized by many green building programs.

• Salvaged Wood Products • Recycled-Content Wood Products • Certified Wood Products

SECTION 3This section helps project teams specify wood products to achieve credits common to a number of green building programs. Each part offers strategies for including these products in a project. Sample forms are provided to help bidders find qualified vendors and easily document the products that were used on a project.

SECTION 4Because trends in green building continue to evolve, the Building Forests by Building Green section introduces concepts and practices that are beyond the current scope of most green building programs, but may be incorporated in the future. These additional opportunities allow teams to extend the environmental benefits of a project and play a leading role in advancing the green building movement. The Building Forests by Building Green section introduces project teams to four different topics.

• Grade Implications• Alternative Species Use• Illegal Logging• High Conservation Value Forests

SECTION 5This section includes a wealth of web-based resources to allow project teams to do more direct research.

3

Wood as a Green Building MaterialAccording to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the American College of Allergy,

Asthma and Immunology, Americans spend 90% of their time indoors. As a result of poor

indoor air quality, toxic materials and other design attributes, many of the buildings where we

live and work can have a negative impact on our health. Green building practitioners have

embraced design methods to help mitigate these and other negative impacts. Examples include

design methods that bring more of the outside environment inside through day-lighting, operable

windows, better ventilation systems, and much more.

Green building programs were established as guidelines that address many of the negative environmental, human health, and financial impacts of construction and occupancy of a building. A green building project involves an integrated design process where environmental, social, and economic issues are considered collectively to address a number of design and construction elements.

• Ecological sensitivity in site selection• Consideration of future water use• Incorporation of energy efficiency systems that anticipate future energy demands• Systems and materials that enhance indoor air quality• Use of materials that not only enhance indoor air quality, but limit harm to the

environment or humans during the raw material extraction and manufacturing process

The appropriate use of wood products is commonly considered under both indoor air quality and materials selection sections of most green building programs.

Green building programs vary in scope from the national level to more local efforts. The following are some examples of programs at national and state levels.

NATIONALU.S. Green Building Council -- Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design (LEED™)US Army Corps of Engineers - Sustainable Project Rating Tool (SPiRiT v 1.4)National Association of Home Builders (NAHB)- Green Building Programs

STATE Collaborative for High-Performance Schools (California) Earth Advantage (Oregon)Austin Green Building (Texas)Green Built Home (Wisconsin)

Green Building Programs

Sect

ion

1

4

About a dozen cities and states, from Arlington, Mass., to San Francisco, have recently adopted or are considering adopting green building standards for their own building projects, according to the US Green Building Council, a Washington DC based nonprofit association of architects, planners, researchers, and other green building experts.

— THE WALL STREET JOURNAL, JULY 16, 2003.

Life cycle analysis (LCA) research has demonstrated that the environmental impacts associated with the production and use of wood are typically lower than other substitute building materials. Life-cycle analysis is an objective process to evaluate the environmental burdens associated with a product, process, or activity by identifying energy and materials used and wastes released to the environment.

Research completed by the ATHENA™ Sustainable Materials Institute, a leading expert on designing buildings with the environment in mind, demonstrates that, as a building material, wood creates far less external pollution of air, water or soil than other materials. This research shows that wood product manufacturing results in lower greenhouse gas emissions, air pollution, water pollution, and less solid waste by-products in comparison to steel or concrete.

As green building programs have grown in popularity, they have increasingly focused on wood’s environmental attributes. LCA’s have proven that wood has many characteristics of an environmentally sound material. Wood, for example, is renewable, biodegradable, non-toxic, energy efficient, recyclable, and reusable.

The number of green building projects and programs has risen considerably over the past several

years. For example, the US Green Building Council’s LEED™ program alone has seen the

number of registered projects increase 35% between June 2002 and June 2003.

Most green building programs are intended to transform supporting industries by creating incentives for using leading edge products and technologies with environmentally friendly components. Currently, wood-related credits in most green building programs address the quality of forest management behind specific wood products as well as the reduction of waste by reusing and recycling existing wood. It may well be that future iterations of green building programs offer points simply for using wood instead of other materials such as steel and concrete based on life-cycle criteria.

Section 1

5

Achieving Green Building Credits Using Wood A) BUILDING GREEN WITH SALVAGED WOOD PRODUCTS

OUTCOMES: Reduce waste in landfills, increase efficiency of wood use, reduce pressure on

forests, increase access to high-quality grades

As a building material, wood has many lives and can be reused in countless ways. Today these salvaged or reused products are often referred to as ‘reclaimed’ or ‘rediscovered’ wood products. Vast quantities of high-quality wood can be found in old warehouses, dilapidated barns and other structures that await deconstruction and reuse as products that range from clear vertical grain (CVG) flooring to structural timbers and beams.

Using salvaged wood products alleviates pressure on overflowing landfills and natural forests alike. Another added benefit of using reclaimed or rediscovered wood products is that high quality grades can be found without having to use tight-grained wood from slow-growing older forests.

According to the USDA Forest Products Laboratory publication, NEWSLINE, the largest 77

buildings slated for deconstruction at Badger Army Ammunition Plant near Baraboo, Wisconsin

are estimated to contain four million board feet of lumber; enough to build about 300 homes

and roughly equivalent to cutting 17,000 trees on 600 acres of forest. Much of this lumber is

very high quality. Some of it is old growth, with few knots, tight growth rings, and high density.

Salvaged wood products can be found in building materials reuse facilities, environmental building supply stores and other commercial enterprises. Many cities publish materials resource guides and directories for sourcing these materials.

Using salvaged wood products on a project can earn credits from certain green building programs. The project team will need to check the selected green building program to determine if credits are available and if documentation is required. Currently, two certification systems in North America monitor the retrieval of these materials from the waste stream. Scientific Certification Systems (SCS) and SmartWood have certification programs that certify salvaged wood products.

While SCS’s salvaged wood and SmartWood’s Rediscovered wood programs offer certification for these products, most green building programs do not require independent certification of salvaged wood products. Nonetheless, certification can help substantiate claims if the credit is audited. For more information about these programs see their Web sites at www.scscertified.com and www.smartwood.org.

Sect

ion

2BU

ILD

ING

GRE

EN W

ITH

SA

LVA

GED

WO

OD

PRO

DU

CTS

A

6

Strategies for Specifying and Sourcing Salvaged Wood ProductsIncluding salvaged wood products in a project can help a project team reach their green building goals. For example, in California’s Collaborative for High Performance Schools (CHPS) program, using reused materials or products salvaged from a previous use or application can gain one or two points. If the overall value of the building materials used in a CHPS project is $100,000, the project must use salvaged products valued at five percent ($5,000) to achieve one point, or ten percent ($10,000) to achieve two points.

The following steps are recommended:

1) Identify areas where salvaged wood products

are a sensible choice (e.g. structural timbers

and beams, doors and frames, high-grade

flooring, etc.).

2) Check guidelines of the green building

program that the project is registered with

to determine the availability of credits and the

required documentation.

3) Research availability of species, grades and products and possible certification

of these salvaged wood products. The Certified Wood and Paper Association (CWPA)

at www.cwpa.info can provide assistance in establishing availability and identifying

potential vendors of reclaimed or rediscovered wood products.

4) Specify in construction documents where salvaged wood products should be used

and what certificates should be presented to validate

product claim.

5) Use the Vendor Reference List (included in this guide) to develop a list of potential

vendors. This list will assist contractors in successfully sourcing salvaged wood products

as specified.

Section 2BU

ILDIN

G G

REEN W

ITH

SALVA

GED

WO

OD

PROD

UC

TSA

7

B) BUILDING GREEN WITH RECYCLED-CONTENT WOOD

OUTCOMES: Increase efficiency of wood use, reduce waste, reduce demand for new wood fiber

Recycled-content wood products are increasingly common as the manufacturing industry increases the recovery rate of by-products. Sawdust, shavings and other residual by-products of manufacturing are efficiently collected and recycled into a number of products from particleboard panels to mouldings.

Products containing recycled-content use forest resources more efficiently by turning material that has been discarded as waste or created as an incidental manufacturing byproduct into new products. In many cases recycled-content products act as a substitute for new fiber in the manufacturing of composite wood products.

Terminology associated with recycled-content wood is fairly specific.

Recycled-Content products may not be 100% recycled, but a manufacturer may have been audited to confirm that a certain amount of the products’ content is from recycled sources.

Post-Consumer recycled products are derived from products that have been discarded by an individual, commercial enterprise or other public or private entity after it has been used.

Post-Industrial recycled products are derived from by-products that have properties significantly different than those of the original material and therefore cannot be recycled back through the same process in its current form.

Some certification programs audit the percentages of recycled-content in a given product to validate manufacturers’ recycled-content product claims. One well- recognized third-party recycled-content product certification systems is Scientific Certification Systems’ (SCS) Recycled-Content certification program. To learn more about SCS’s program visit their Web site at www.scscertified.com.

While SCS’s program offers certification for recycled-content products, most green building programs do not require independent certification of recycled-content wood products. However, such certification can help bolster claims if the credit is audited.

Sect

ion

2 BBU

ILD

ING

GRE

EN W

ITH

RE

CY

CLE

D-C

ON

TEN

T W

OO

D

8

Up until 1997 we burned approximately 80% of the sander dust in an old boiler that provided some of the steam requirements on the plant site. Working with our resin supplier, we commenced a laboratory study to find the maximum level of sander dust we could put in the surface and core portion of the wood mix without having a deleterious effect on board quality. The results showed we could use all the sander dust we produced on a weekly basis from the finishing process back in the particleboard production process. We were able to shut down the old boiler resulting in an emissions reduction from the plant site, improving air quality. By reusing all the sander dust, we reduced by approximately 800 truckloads the need to purchase and transport wood raw material to supply the plant.

-- PARTICLEBOARD TEAM, COLLINS PRODUCTS LLC

Strategies for Specifying and Sourcing Recycled-Content Wood Products

Projects that specify recycled-content wood products can earn points in many green building programs. Typically the required minimum percentages are based on the overall dollar value of building materials (See diagram below). For example, under LEED’s™ v.2.1 - M/R 4, if the overall value of building materials used in a project is $100,000, the project can use wood products containing post-consumer recycled-content materials valued at $5,000 to achieve one point, or $10,000 to achieve two points.

Recycled material cost as a percentage of the total materials cost – LEED™ project example:

LEED™ Credits

Credit 4.1 At least 5% is post-consumer recycled-content1 credit OR Combined post-consumer and 1/2 post-industrial recycled-content consitutes at least 10%

Credit 4.2 At least 10% is post consumer recycled2 credits OR Combined post-consumer and 1/2 post-industrial recycled-content consitutes at least 20%

Section 2BU

ILDIN

G G

REEN W

ITH

RECY

CLED

-CO

NTEN

T WO

OD

B

9


1) Identify areas in the project where recycled-content wood products are a sensible

choice (e.g. MDF mouldings, composite panels, siding, etc.).

2) Check guidelines of the green building program for which the project is

registered to determine the availability of credits and the required documentation.

3) Research availability of recycled-content wood products and possible

certification of these products. The Certified Wood and Paper Association (CWPA)

at www.cwpa.info can provide assistance in establishing availability and identifying

potential vendors of recycled-content wood products.

4) Specify recycled-content wood products in construction documents where it is

appropriate and request that certificates be presented to validate product claims.

5) Use the Vendor Reference List (included in this guide) to develop a list of potential

vendors of recycled-content wood products. This list will assist contractors in

successfully sourcing recycled-content wood products as specified.

C) BUILDING GREEN WITH CERTIFIED WOOD PRODUCTS

OUTCOMES: Increase incentive for well-managed forests, provide assurance to end user about

environmental claims

There are two elements related to certified wood products: forest management certification, and chain-of-custody (COC) certification.

Forest management certification is a process where forests are evaluated according to a set of standards, guidelines, and principles established by a certification body, and are certified as well-managed by an independent third-party auditor (or certifier). Once the forest has been awarded a forest management certification, the landowner can sell logs as certified under that specific certification system.

In addition, some certification systems require that logs be sold to manufacturers that are COC certified if the products are to be labeled as certified. Chain-of custody certification is an inventory control audit that requires certified materials to be inventoried and tracked separately from non-certified inventory. To ensure that the product is not mixed with non-certified materials, each step in the manufacturing and distribution chain needs to be COC certified.

Sect

ion

2 CBU

ILD

ING

GRE

EN W

ITH

C

ERTI

FIED

WO

OD

PRO

DU

CTS

10

COC certification provides assurance to architects, contractors, and project owners that any products requested as coming from a certified well-managed forest have in fact moved through a certified chain from a certified well-managed forest. Requesting or specifying certified wood for a green building project sends a positive market signal back through the chain-of-custody, indicating to forest managers and manufacturers alike, that the market prefers wood from certified well-managed forests. Unlike salvaged and recycled-content wood products, claims that certified wood products were used for a green building project typically need to be confirmed.

While there are many forest certification systems worldwide, the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certification system is recognized by the majority of green building programs and offers a COC certification to track products through manufacturing and distribution to guarantee that a project owner receives the certified products that were requested. Another forest certification system in North America is the Sustainable Forestry Initiative (SFI). SFI has 96.4 million acres of independently certified forests. SFI offers a business-level supply chain audit system rather than a product-level COC certification. The Canadian Standards Association (CSA) has certified forests in Canada and has developed a COC certification, but has gained little recognition from green building programs. Strategies for Achieving Certified Wood Products Credits

Specifying and building with certified wood can increase the level of achievement of a green building project. For example, the US Army Corps of Engineers – Sustainable Project Rating Tool (SPiRiT v 1.4) offers one point if a SPiRiT project uses a minimum of 50 percent, by cost, of wood-based materials certified in accordance with the FSC guidelines for wood building components. For example, if a building project purchases $100,000 of wood materials and at least $50,000 is from an FSC chain-of-custody vendor, then the project would qualify for this point.

Section 2BU

ILDIN

G G

REEN W

ITH

CERTIFIED

WO

OD

PROD

UC

TSC

11


1) Identify areas of wood usage in the project to determine the types of products that

are needed (e.g. wooden doors and windows, interior millwork and casework, framing

lumber and structural panels, form ply and bracing, etc.).

2) Check guidelines of the green building program to make sure that the certified

wood products specified will be accepted.

3) Research availability of certified species, grades and products. Most projects

that are successful in using certified materials employ a line-item strategy based on

current availability of specific products rather than a blanket approach applying to all

wood products. The Certification Resource Center (www.certifiedwood.org) is an

online resource to help find certified wood products and vendors.

4) Specify in construction documents where certified wood products should be used

and what certificates should be presented to validate product claims.

5) Use the Vendors List (included in this guide) at the earliest possible opportunity

for bidders. This list should include vendors and manufacturers that meet the forest

certification system prefered by the green building program registered with

the project.

Sect

ion

2 CBU

ILD

ING

GRE

EN W

ITH

C

ERTI

FIED

WO

OD

PRO

DU

CTS

12

Sample Specification Language for Achieving Certified Wood Credits

Clear language is necessary for use in purchase requisitions, request for proposals, or design specification documents when specifying certified wood. The following sample language focuses on Forest Stewardship Council certification, but can be adapted for use with other certification systems requiring documentation.

SAMPLE SPECIFICATION LANGUAGE

FSC (Forest Stewardship Council) — All wood products designated in this specification as “FSC certified”

SUBMITTALS For all wood products designated in this specification as FSC-certified, provide evidence of compliance with FSC standards as follows:

1) Demonstrate that products are FSC-certified by providing vendor invoices. Invoices will

contain the vendor’s chain of custody number and identify each FSC-certified product on a line-item basis. A “vendor” is defined as the company that furnishes wood products to project contractors and/or subcontractors for on-site installation.

2) Wood products lacking acceptable documentation will be rejected and their removal required.

QUALITY ASSURANCEAll wood products designated as “FSC certified” in this specification shall be certified according to the rules of the Forest Stewardship Council (www.fscus.org).

The following North American certification bodies are accredited by the FSC to certify forests and forest products:

• Scientific Certification Systems (www.scscertified.com)• SmartWood (www.smartwood.org)• SGS Qualifor (www.qualifor.com)• Soil Association (www.soilassociation.org)

For a complete list of FSC accredited agencies, see www.fscoax.org.

PRODUCTSWood products in this section identified through research as being available from FSC-certified sources should be specified on a line-by-line basis as “FSC certified.” Where possible, contact information for potential vendors should be included in the specification using the Vendor Reference List.

Section 2BU

ILDIN

G G

REEN W

ITH

CERTIFIED

WO

OD

PROD

UC

TSC

13

Section 3: Project FormsVendor Reference List

This simple form is a resource to assist bidders in contacting suppliers qualified to provide salvaged, recycled-content, and certified wood products.

Bid Compliance Forms

The Bid Compliance Form ensures that contractors and suppliers comply with the specification for salvaged, recycled-content, and certified wood and should be used in conjunction with strong specification language (see Sample Specification Language in the previous section). Bid Compliance Forms provide insurance against potentially time-consuming and costly pitfalls as well as fraudulent claims. They can help identify potential problems during the design and decision-making phase of a project rather than during construction, when it is often too late to address them cost effectively.

The following is a recommended process for the distribution and retrieval of Bid Compliance Forms.

1) The architect finalizes the specification and includes Bid Compliance Forms in all sections where salvaged, recycled-content, and certified wood products are specified.

2) Bidding general contractors distribute subsections of specifications with Bid Compliance Forms to subcontractors or potential suppliers.

3) Supplier returns form with their bid to the general contractor who forwards it on to the architect or project manager. If necessary to accommodate the last-minute nature of some bid processes, the due date for the Bid Compliance Forms can be scheduled for 24 hours after bid deadline.

Project Documentation Summary

Many green building programs conduct random audits to ensure that the credit requirements have been fulfilled. The Project Documentation Summary Form provides spaces to fill in the Contruction Specifiers Institute (CSI) Section, Supplier Name, Chain-of-Custody Number (if required), and a Brief Product Description for each certified product that is used for a specific project. Keeping careful documentation of salvaged, recycled-content and certified wood materials as they enter the project stream ensures that participants will be prepared in the event of an audit.

Sect

ion

3

14

Vendor Reference ListPROJECT____________________________________________________________________________________

PROJECT CONTACT__________________________________________________________________________

Company____________________________Contact ___________________Spec Reference _________________

Address _________________________________________________Product _____________________________

Phone ____________________E-mail ______________________Chain of Custody No.____________________

Comments___________________________________________________________________________________


Address _________________________________________________Product _____________________________


Comments___________________________________________________________________________________


Address _________________________________________________Product _____________________________


Comments___________________________________________________________________________________


Address _________________________________________________Product _____________________________


Comments___________________________________________________________________________________


Address _________________________________________________Product _____________________________


Comments___________________________________________________________________________________


Address _________________________________________________Product _____________________________


Comments___________________________________________________________________________________


Address _________________________________________________Product _____________________________


Comments___________________________________________________________________________________

Certified Wood Bid Compliance Form PROJECT____________________________________________________________________________________

PROJECT CONTACT__________________________________________________________________________

THIS SECTION TO BE COMPLETED BY BIDDER

Please send this completed form back with your bid to supply the certified wood products

specified. Make copies of this form as necessary to obtain vendor statements.

SPECIFICATION REFERENCE(S)_________________________________________________________________

PRODUCT __________________________________________________________________________________

GENERAL CONTRACTOR ____________________________________________________________________

SUBCONTRACTOR __________________________________________________________________________

THIS SECTION TO BE COMPLETED BY THE VENDOR

A “vendor” is defined as the company that furnishes wood products to project contractors or

subcontractors for on-site installation. Please send this completed form back with your bid to

supply the certified wood products specified.

STATEMENT OF COMPLIANCE

As the representative of ____________________________________________ I give my

assurance that we are able to supply certified wood products, as:

1. We are a company certified by_________________ certifcation system to supply

the specified products and have been assigned the following Chain of Custody

number: _____ - _____ - _____.

All invoices and shipping documents relating to the certified products will be labeled

with our company’s Chain of Custody number. In addition, each certified product

will be identified on a line-item basis in accordance with certification rules.

2. Our company’s statement of product availability, delivery times, and pricing reflect

due diligence based on market conditions at the time of inquiry.

SIGNATURE______________________________________________________ DATE ______________PRINT NAME

Documentation Summary FormTo be completed during the construction phase of the project to document the use of certified

salvaged and recycled-content wood products.

Make copies of this form as needed.

PROJECT____________________________________________________________________________________

PROJECT MANAGER__________________________________________________________________________

Submittal Required Submittal Confirms Certification

Copy of Invoice or Other Documentation

Attached?

YES

NOSpec Reference Product Supplier Chain of Custody No.

ATTACH COPIES OF RELEVANT DOCUMENTATION TO THIS FORM. CHECK WHERE APPLICABLE.

Building Forests by Building GreenCurrently, green building programs focus on using salvaged wood, recycled-content, and certified wood products in construction. While including these products in a project is important, it is not the final word in environmentally responsible wood use. For architects and green building teams interested in maximizing benefits to forests and the well-being of the people who depend on them, there are several other factors to consider.

A) Grade Implications — Using lower grades or character grades of wood can dramatically reduce pressure on forests by broadening demand beyond a limited percentage of the forest to include a full array of products that forests produce naturally.

B) Alternative Species Use — The market currently values only a small percentage of the species available from the world’s natural forests. Using non-traditional species (also known as lesser-known species) increases the palette of available materials, improves the economics of sound forest management and helps take pressure off well-known species.

C) Illegal Logging — Illegal logging is a major problem in many regions of the world, particularly in developing countries and those in economic and political transition. Illegally logged wood is often laundered by mixing it in with legal wood at the primary manufacturing level, after which it becomes impossible to distinguish or trace. A growing number of governments, non-governmental organizations, and industry groups have committed themselves to tackling the problem.

D) High Conservation Value Forests — These are sensitive areas that merit an extra level of care and caution before harvest operations are conducted. They are distinct because they have special characteristics, such as threatened or endangered species, ancient trees, culturally significant areas or critical ecosystem services. While most people agree about the need for extra protection, there is debate and confusion about which forests qualify.

The following pages introduce these issues to raise awareness among architects, designers, developers and builders interested in maximizing the benefits of their specifications.

Sect

ion

4

18

A) GRADE IMPLICATIONS

When woodworkers, designers, architects and their clients rely only on premium grades of wood for finish work, furniture and other applications, they are overlooking a broad palette of possible grades, as well as the implications of how their preferences affect forest ecosystems and economics.

Wood is an organic and dynamic material. Its beauty and desirability lie, at least partially, in its variability and lack of uniformity. Every piece of wood is unique, displaying variations in hue, grain pattern and texture that range from subtle to striking.

Premium grades of wood, however, have the most homogenous appearance. The highest grades of lumber and veneer are virtually clear, which is to say they contain few, if any, pin knots, mineral streaks or contrasting heartwood or sapwood. These characteristics are traditionally considered defects, but one person’s defect is another person’s character mark. For certain applications such defects or character marks may not be acceptable, but in many instances they can provide all of the same performance characteristics of clear wood found in premium grades with a more interesting appearance.

A constant emphasis on premium grades of wood devalues the majority of wood products derived from a diverse forest and inflates the price of trees that contain a high percentage of straight-grain, knot-free wood. This inflated pricing distorts the relative value of various forest resources and can lead to two unsustainable practices:

• Over-harvest of slower-growing, older timber from high conservation value forests in both temperate and tropical regions

• High-grading, which is the selective stripping of the largest, most mature trees with the most marketable, premium grade characteristics

Admittedly, there are good reasons for using premium grades. Overall they can be easier to manufacture and build with because their properties are very predictable and consistent. Historically, premium grades from virgin forests were widely available and their use was a common practice. Contemporary use of premium grades is largely based on aesthetics from an earlier time. Encouraging an appreciation for wood with a more dynamic appearance, and thus more demand for lower grades, is an important consideration in design and construction. It puts demand on balance with what diverse forests are actually capable of producing on a sustained basis. It also helps to promote more breadth, balance and stability in forest management schemes and, ultimately, the economics of forestry.

Section 4G

RAD

E IMPLIC

ATION

SA

19

What You Can DoDecisions about grade must be made carefully. Although there may be a minimum grade necessary for any given task, many decisions on grade are based on aesthetics or convention, not practical considerations. The following examples are intended to show the reasoning behind decisions on particular grades.

• When siding a large building and intending to paint it, there is no practical reason to specify clear wood siding. Lower grades of wood or composite products would be just as appropriate and more environmentally responsible.

• In laying a hardwood floor one can choose a dynamic looking lower grade with no significant difference in installation or durability. The choice between premium grade and lower grades is simply aesthetic.

• When building a high-quality rowboat that will last for generations, the use of clear wood is a necessary choice for good performance. The quantity is small, many species are appropriate and the final product will be enduring.

Sect

ion

4 AG

RAD

E IM

PLIC

ATIO

NS

20

B) ALTERNATIVE SPECIES USE

Since the late 1980s, many people in the developed world have been aware that tropical forests are in crisis. According to a United Nations Food & Agriculture Organization report that was published in 2000, South American countries lose 11 million acres a year to deforestation.

While some have argued that the most effective way for people in the developed world to avoid complicity in the destruction of tropical forests is to avoid all purchases of tropical timber, blanket tropical timber boycotts by importing countries will not improve the root economic conditions that drive tropical deforestation.

While some areas of tropical forests can and should be set aside for permanent conservation it is inevitable that developing countries will rely on their forests to satisfy internal needs for forest products. In the long term, the key to conserving large tracts of forest in many tropical countries lays in responsible forest management practices. Likewise the challenge to developed countries is to support good forest management with responsible forest products purchasing practices. Responsible forest management in the tropics faces a number of challenges. One of the major challenges is the fact that only a relatively small proportion of the tree species that occur naturally in most tropical forests have commercial value, while the rest have little or no market recognition. The latter are often referred to as lesser-known, non-traditional, or secondary species.

Natural tropical forests are typically highly diverse in tree species. Highly prized trees such as mahogany and teak are widely dispersed among many lesser-known and therefore lower-valued species. When this high variation in economic value persists across a forest, ecological diversity has no perceived value to local communities, and vast areas of forest may be severely damaged in efforts to extract a few high-value trees. As lesser-known species gain acceptance in the marketplace, however, the value of diverse forests increases overall, providing incentives for sustaining healthy functioning forest ecosystems. Tracts of forest that might otherwise have been high-graded have a far better chance of being managed over time for a greater diversity of forest products.

If only five percent of the forest is considered to be of the highest value, what’s happening to that other 95 percent? If we can expand that to seven percent or ten percent or even fifteen percent, what are the collateral impacts on the economy and on forest management? Appropriate use has to do with closely aligning intended application with the performance characteristics of the material – and in many cases lesser-known or underutilized species will work just as well if not better than the fraction of the world’s trees that are currently used. If we want to promote an economic incentive for diversity within the forest, we need to find economic viability for more species in the marketplace.

JEFF WARTELLE, FOUNDERS OF THE NEW NORTHWEST 2000

Section 4A

LTERNATIV

E SPECIES U

SEB

21

Initiatives are underway in tropical countries where responsible forest management is viewed as a practical way to balance economic needs with conservation objectives. While there are some well-known tropical timbers available from responsible forestry initiatives, the majority of the woods available from well-managed sources are non-traditional species. The success of good forest management in the tropics hinges in part on the willingness of consumers in both the developing and the developed world to put these unfamiliar timbers to good use. These species from well-managed tropical forests are beginning to find their way into the North American market. As they do, people are substituting them for more common tropical woods that may be threatened or illegally harvested. As people gain hands-on experience with these species and share their knowledge with others, the market will flourish and incentives for the responsible management of tropical forests will grow accordingly.

Not all tropical lesser-known-species have properties that make them suitable for export. Nonetheless, some can readily substitute for commonly traded woods in end uses as diverse as furniture, doors, windows, flooring, and other commonly used wood products. A wealth of practical and technical information exists on certain lesser-known-species and can be found in the Resources for Building Green section. To learn more about the species that are available in North America from certified suppliers contact the Certified Wood & Paper Association 503-224-7696 or www.cwpa.info.

Sect

ion

4 BA

LTER

NAT

IVE

SPEC

IES

USE

22

C) ILLEGAL LOGGING

Illegal logging is defined by the International Tropical Timber Organization as “timber harvesting-related activities that are inconsistent with national (or sub-national) laws.”

Markets for Forest Conservation, prepared by Forest Trends for the Pacific Rim Initiative in 2001, provides some examples of illegal logging practices.

• Conversion of public land for agriculture by individuals or companies without permits.• Logging in protected and prohibited areas.• Obtaining logging concessions through bribes.• Killing trees so they can be ‘legally’ logged.• Transporting illegally harvested timber.• Exporting and importing tree species banned under international law, e.g., CITES,

September, 2001.

While illegal logging can occur anywhere, it is particularly prevalent and most damaging in developing regions of the world where the capacity of controlling agencies to monitor large areas of land base is low and the value of wood on the open market is high (World Bank, 2002). These circumstances, coupled with burgeoning demand for exotic woods such as big-leafed mahogany and others, has led to egregious examples of rainforest destruction.

What You Can DoThere are several steps one can take to avoid purchasing illegally harvested wood products. The first is to become aware of the countries and species with high instances of illegal practices. Use caution when encountering wood products from these countries and species in projects. If these species must be used, certification is one way to ensure legality.

In many countries around the world, illegal logging has become a targeted issue for governments and non-governmental economic and environmental organizations. The percentages below are an estimate of the amount of wood that is logged illegally in each country. Brazil (80%) Cameroon (50%) Indonesia (73%) Malaysia (35%) Russia (20-50%)

Some specific species under scrutiny are those that are commonly logged illegally due to the high prices paid on the open market. Mahogany (Swietenia macrophylla, mahagoni) Teak (Tectona grandis) Ramin (Gonystylus spp.) Lauan (Shorea spp.) Rosewood (Dalbergia spp.)

Section 4ILLEG

AL LO

GG

ING

C

23

The most effective weapon against illegal logging is an educated consumer who demands to know the source of wood products. Awareness of countries with a high incidence of illegal logging is a good place to start. Wood from these areas should be highly suspect unless the supplier can prove its origin. Chain of custody or wood tracking systems can provide a mechanism for ensuring legality of wood fiber if the standards associated with the source certification require proof of legality. At present, the Forest Stewardship Council and CSA International (Canada) are the only North American certification programs with chain-of-custody tracking elements. Other systems for tracking legalilty only are in development.

CITES (the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora) is an international agreement between governments that aims to ensure that international trade in specimens of wild animals and plants does not threaten their survival. CITES currently regulates trade in mahogany saw logs, sawn wood and veneer. Many other exotic species are not regulated under the CITES’ mandate but remain threatened as a result of uncontrolled and illegal harvesting. To get the latest information on species regulated by CITES go to www.cites.org.

Sect

ion

4 DH

IGH

CO

NSE

RVAT

ION

VA

LUE

FORE

STS

24

D) HIGH CONSERVATION VALUE FORESTS

High conservation value forests (HCVF) are sensitive areas that merit an extra level of care and caution before logging operations are conducted. They are distinct because they house threatened species, ancient trees, culturally significant areas, or provide critical ecosystem services. While most people agree on the need for extra protection, there is confusion and debate over which forests qualify.

A variety of groups, including environmental organizations, the forest products industry, businesses, and trade associations have weighed in on the debate, differing in opinion over importance of forest characteristics, location and delineation of valuable areas, and terminology. Terms such as “endangered forests”, “old-growth”, “ancient forests”, and “frontier forests” are sometimes used interchangeably but mean different things to different people.

Depending on priorities, different forests hold the highest value. Some groups hold forests rich in biodiversity as paramount while others prize large intact areas or old, established ecosystems. The situation is complicated further when it comes to mapping out areas and drawing lines for which areas qualify for high conservation value status.

Important tools to identify forests of high conservation value have emerged recently. The Wye River Group was established market campaigning environmental groups in the U.S. and Canada to define and identify the characteristics of an endangered forest. Their working document, ENDANGERED FORESTS: PRIORITY HIGH

CONSERVATION VALUE FORESTS FOR PROTECTION lays out a vision for forest protection agreed to by ForestEthics, Greenpeace, Rainforest Action Network and the Natural Resources Defense Council.

NatureServe is used by state natural heritage programs in North America in conjunction with forest landowners to identify areas of exceptional conservation value on private industrial forestland. It specifically helps forest products companies identify incidences of rare and endangered species and is currently used by some of the largest forest products producers, including International Paper. The High Conservation Value Forest Toolkit produced by ProForest as part of the World Wildlife Fund/IKEA Cooperation on Forest Projects provides a practical methodology for identifying High Conservation Value Forests. It also provides guidance about how to manage a forest once it has been identified as HCVF.

Section 4H

IGH

CO

NSERVATIO

N VA

LUE FO

RESTSD

25

Resources for Building Green

FOREST CERTIFICATION

American Forest and Paper Association (AF&PA) www.afandpa.org

Canadian Standards Association (CSA) www.csa.ca

Forest Products Association of Canada (FPAC) www.fpac.ca

Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) www.fscus.org

Pan European Forest Certification (PEFC) www.pefc.org

Scientific Certification Systems (SCS) Recycled-Content www.scscertified.com

SmartWood Rediscovered Wood www.smartwood.org

Sustainable Forestry Initiative (SFI) www.aboutsfi.org

RESOURCES FOR FINDING CERTIFIED WOOD PRODUCTS

Certification Resource Center www.certifiedwood.org

Certified Wood & Paper Association (CWPA) www.cwpa.info

International Wood Products Association (IWPA) www.iwpa.org

FOREST PRODUCTS INFORMATION

Center for International Forestry Research (CIFOR) www.cifor.cgiar.org

Certification Resource Center www.certifiedwood.org

International Tropical Timber Organization www.itto.or.jp

IUCN- The World Conservation Union www.iucn.org

World Resources Institute www.wri.org

USDA Forest Products Laboratory www.fpl.fs.fed.us

ALTERNATIVE SPECIES USE

Center for Wood Anatomy Research www.2.fpl.fs.fed.us/TechSheets/techmenu.html

Northwest Wood Products Association www.nwpa.org

Sustainable Development International www.sustdev.org/industry.news/012002/23.03.html

Sect

ion

5

26

HIGH CONSERVATION VALUE FORESTS (HCVF)

NatureServe www.natureserve.org

ProForest/IKEA ToolKit www.proforest.net

Wye River Group www.forestethics.org/pdf/EF_Definitions_Wye_River.pdf

ILLEGAL LOGGING

CITES www.cites.org (the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora)

Forest Trends www.foresttrends.org

GRADE IMPLICATIONS

Hardwood Plywood & Veneer Association www.hpva.org

RESPONSIBLE FOREST PRODUCTS PURCHASING

Metafore www.metafore.org

GREEN BUILDING

National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) www.nahbrc.org

United States Green Building Council (USGBC) www.usgbc.org

Section 5

27

This publication was made possible through support provided by the Global Development Alliance and the Office of Environment and Natural

Resources, Bureau for Economic Growth, Agriculture, and Trade, U.S. Agency for International Development, and by the USDA Forest Service

International Programs under the terms of Award No. 03-DG-11132762-027. The opinions expressed herein are those of the author(s) and do not

necessarily reflect the views of the U.S. Agency for International Development or the USDA Forest Service.

Photos for this publication were provided by Collins Companies, Craftmark, Charles Shackleton Furniture, Norm Thompson, Precious Woods Amazon,

and World Wildlife Fund.

721 NW 9th Avenue Suite 300Portland, OR 97209

www.metafore.org

503-224-2205 phone

503-224-2215 fax

wood for building · 2020. 5. 5. · wood as a green building material. according to the u.s....

Documents