Preserved wood extends forest resources, allowing one tree to do the work of many.
In addition to enabling wood to last a long time or resist flames or mold, our brands have
all of the environmental and other advantages associated with wood itself. For example, wood:
- Is a renewable resource grown on managed timberlands. Trees remove carbon dioxide
from the atmosphere, thus reducing greenhouse gases.
- Requires less energy to produce than alternative building materials; it is made
from sunlight and soil nutrients, rather than fossil fuels.
- Offers greater insulation value than alternatives.
- Is lighter in weight, and can often be installed with lighter equipment which has
less environmental impact.
In addition, wood offers excellent workability with common construction skills and
tools, plus it provides design flexibility and economy. Wood is generally less costly
than alternative building materials and is considered easier to work with, not to
mention aesthetically preferable in many applications.
A recent study conducted by the Consortium for Research on Renewable Industrial
Materials (CORRIM) found that wood framed homes top concrete and steel as more environmentally
friendly. The life cycle assessment found that the total energy in the completed
steel-frame house was 17 percent greater and the concrete-framed house was 16% greater
than the completed wood-frame house. Moreover, the bioenergy used was more than
250% that of wood, which researchers explained as meaning that 20 times more energy
was used than saved by substitution of materials other than wood. For a condensed
version of the full report,
click here (PDF).
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