Vancouver, BC – Vancouver’s NSDA Architects is the winner of the first Sustainable Forestry Initiative® (SFI®) Award, handed out Monday, March 3rd as part of the 10th annual Wood WORKS! BC Wood Design Awards. The architectural firm is being recognized for its innovative use of wood certified to the SFI Standard in the new Kordyban Lodge, a Canadian Cancer Society care facility located in Prince George, BC.
“It’s an honour to receive this inaugural award and be recognized by both SFI and the Wood WORKS! BC program for NSDA’s work on the Kordyban Lodge,” says Jerry Doll, Partner at NSDA. “We are continually striving to create spirited and innovative architecture that showcases wood at its finest while responding thoughtfully to community needs.”
The lodge, which contains wood products from certified sources the majority of which are certified to the SFI standard, provides a comfortable and peaceful ‘home away from home’ for cancer patients and their caregivers. The stunning wood building spans 25,000 square feet and includes 36 beds, a meditation room, lounge, family room, massage therapy room and more.
It’s widely known that the use of wood products in buildings of this nature goes a long way towards improving the mental wellbeing of patients, who are exposed to natural materials during their treatment process.
Wood certified to the SFI Standard used in the facility includes several products supplied by the Sinclair Group of Companies and Winston Global Lumber Ltd., including engineered roof trusses, pre-fabricated walls, studs, sheathing plywood, and LVL.
“Kordyban Lodge is a showcase of the warmth, beauty, versatility and durability of wood from sustainably managed forests,” says Kathy Abusow, SFI President and CEO. “Future forests require responsible forestry and this project is a prime example of the positive contribution that building with wood from sustainably managed forests can make, particularly in a region where the community is supported by the forestry sector.”
As the North American leader in sustainable forest management, SFI supports projects such as the Kordyban Lodge that use renewable, responsibly harvested building materials. SFI acknowledges the important role projects like this play in promoting wood as an economical, environmental and socially responsible building material.
The Wood WORKS! Wood Design Awards is the only North American program to recognize, award and publicize excellence in wood architecture – publicly acknowledging the importance of architecture in our society. A hand-selected jury of prominent architects personally reviews each application and chooses the award winners based on considerations such as creativity, distinctive and appropriate uses of wood materials, ability to satisfy clients’ building and site requirements, and overall aesthetic appeal for the use and application of wood.
ABOUT SFI
The Sustainable Forestry Initiative® (SFI) advances sustainability through forest-focused collaborations. We are an independent, nonprofit organization that leverages four interconnected pillars of work: standards, conservation, community, and education. SFI works with the forest sector, conservation groups, academics, researchers, brand owners, resource professionals, landowners, educators, local communities, Indigenous Peoples, and governments. Collaborating with our network, we leverage SFI-certified forests and products as powerful tools to help solve sustainability challenges such as climate action, conservation of biodiversity, education of future generations, and sustainable economic development.
MEDIA CONTACT
Christine Leduc
VP, Communications and Government Relations
Sustainable Forestry Initiative
613-706-1114
media@forests.org
About Wood WORKS!
Wood WORKS! is a national industry-led initiative of the Canadian Wood Council, with a goal to support innovation and provide leadership on the use of wood and wood products. Through workshops, seminars and case studies, Wood WORKS! BC provides education, training, and technical expertise to building and design professionals involved with commercial, institutional and industrial construction projects throughout BC.
Media Contact
Rebecca Peters
LBMG Vancouver
604-637-6649
Rebecca@LBMG.ca
