Forestry Association Supports Declaration of Wood as a Green Building Product
USDA decision to promote wood conserves forest resources, could boost job growth

Sacramento, Calif., March 30, 2011 – The California Forestry Association today applauded the announcement by Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack that the USDA will promote the use of wood as a green building material. Active conservation of forest resources and the use of wood products have been shown to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The decision to give preference in USDA facilities and buildings to locally sourced wood is science-driven and consistent with the department’s leadership role in managing forest resources to address climate change.

“We welcome the USDA’s recognition that wood is a green building material and their preference to use wood in construction,” said David A. Bischel, president of the California Forestry Association. “Using wood, the only entirely renewable and recyclable building material we have available to us, has tremendous implications for addressing climate change and lowering emissions. Using wood stores carbon whereas using fossil-fuel intensive materials like steel or concrete increases carbon emissions.”

Life Cycle Assessment studies comparing the environmental impact of wood, steel and concrete show that choosing wood uses less energy and lowers carbon emissions. Using wood in above-grade wall designs, for example, can reduce energy consumption up to 38 percent compared to steel or concrete, and reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions up to 80 percent. The energy to grow trees comes from the sun whereas most of the energy to produce steel and concrete comes from burning fossil fuels. Furthermore, wood products can effectively store the carbon that trees removes from the air safely out of the atmosphere for decades.

“The USDA’s decision to recognize multiple green building standards creates the greatest opportunity to realize significant GHG emission reductions,” Bischel continued. “Several credible green building programs have emerged across the country and focusing on environmental benefits of using wood offers project managers the flexibility to choose the system that makes the most sense in any given construction project. The timing for this couldn’t be better. Forests across the West are in dire need of active management, consumers are yearning for green building solutions and forestry creates jobs more efficiently than any other sector. The USDA’s directive is good for the environment and could help create jobs in rural communities suffering among the highest unemployment rates in the country.”

Additional research regarding the carbon sequestration benefits of active forest management and using wood can be viewed at www.rethinkforests.com/research-library.html.

The California Forestry Association represents professionals committed to sustainable forestry and the protection of the state’s natural resources.
CFA is committed to keeping the public informed on issues surrounding efforts to keep California forests healthy and well-managed for water, wildlife, wildfire protection and climate change benefit.
 

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