{"id":18507,"date":"2011-09-29T20:49:49","date_gmt":"2011-09-29T20:49:49","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/162.217.168.59\/?p=18507"},"modified":"2023-03-22T16:27:02","modified_gmt":"2023-03-22T20:27:02","slug":"usdastudyeconomicbenefits","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/forests.org\/fr\/usdastudyeconomicbenefits\/","title":{"rendered":"USDA Study Shows Economic And Environmental Benefits Of Wood As Green Building Material"},"content":{"rendered":"

WASHINGTON, DC \u2013 The Sustainable Forestry Initiative\u00ae<\/sup> (SFI\u00ae<\/sup>) welcomes a study by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) summarizing scientific findings that support the environmental and economic benefits of using wood in green building construction.<\/p>\n

In a news release today announcing the study, the USDA stated: \u201cSustainability of forest products can be verified using any credible third-party rating system, such as Sustainable Forestry Initiative, Forest Stewardship Council or American Tree Farm System.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThis study confirms what many environmental scientists have been saying for years,\u201d Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack said in the news release. \u201cWood should be a major component of American building and energy design. The use of wood provides substantial environmental benefits, provides incentives for private landowners to maintain forest land, and provides a critical source of jobs in rural America.\u201d<\/p>\n

The study, Science Supporting the Economic and Environmental Benefits of Using Wood and Wood Products in Green Building Construction<\/em>, says a recent lifecycle analysis found that harvesting, transporting, manufacturing, and using wood in lumber and panel products in building yields fewer emissions \u2013 including greenhouse gases \u2013 than the resource extraction, manufacture and use of other common building materials.<\/p>\n

It says \u201csustainable forest management can produce stronger, healthier forests that serve as a \u2018carbon sink\u2019 to clean air of greenhouse gases and purify drinking water for wildlife and U.S. municipal water systems. Harvested trees can find value in wood products and systems for green building construction that continue to benefit the environment.\u201d<\/p>\n

Larry Selzer, President and CEO of The Conservation Fund and Vice-Chair of the SFI Board of Directors, said the study is good news for forests and forest communities. \u201cWorking forests are an essential part of our nation\u2019s critical infrastructure,\u201d Selzer said. \u201cThey provide clean air, clean water, wood products and jobs for more than two million people. By taking this step in recognizing the importance of wood in green building and the role of forest certification in verifying sustainability, Secretary Vilsack and the USDA are promoting a major investment in an essential part of our nation\u2019s infrastructure.\u201d<\/p>\n

The report also says research can advance the use of wood in green buildings through development of new product technologies such as cross laminated timber (CLT), which allows large, solid-wood structural panels to be factory manufactured from low-value, small-diameter trees and trees killed by insects and disease. It says these developments can support forest conservation management by providing revenue to reduce treatment costs on forest land needing ecological restoration.<\/p>\n

\u201cSFI welcomes USDA research related to emerging issues in forestry, markets and green building,\u201d SFI President and CEO Kathy Abusow said. \u201cSFI Inc is also committed to research related to conservation and productivity through our standard requirements and our conservation and community partnerships grants program.\u201d<\/p>\n

Click here<\/a> for more information on SFI and Green Building.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>

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