Breaking News
Industry Supports Eco-Standard/Eco-Label
The LBMI Forum demonstrated broad support on the part of lumberyards, component manufacturers, and home builders for an eco-label.
The public testimony highlighted four themes:
| • | Broad industry-wide support for sustainable forestry. |
| • | Frustration regarding inability to source lumber to supply LEED projects due to limited supply and FSC limits on who can sell FSC certified wood. [Note: USGBC is currently seeking input on Benchmarks for forest certifications schemes. See article below.] |
| • | The SFI representative suggested if lumber dealers required a permanent eco-label on each piece of wood at time of purchase, then the label could replace chain-of-custody as long as the product (piece of wood) is not modified in the supply chain. |
| • | Confusion exists over "mixed content" label(s) for solid sawn lumber. How a "mixed content" label will be counted under LEED or NGBS rating standards is not clear. It was suggested that a dealer (at least theoretically) could ship to a jobsite a framing package, wherein each piece of lumber carried an eco-label, yet none of the wood originated in an eco-certified forest. Going forward, additional input/clarification (by all stakeholders) will be needed concerning product label(s) for solid sawn lumber. |
The proceedings of the July 16 Forum are summarized in the following documents:
“LBMI Forum Summary” reports comments/testimony from the forum.
“Eco-labeling presentation materials” includes the slides used to facilitate discussion at the forum.
Forum findings will be presented to the American Lumber Standards Committee on August 27.
USGBC Seeks Public Comment Forest Certification Benchmarks and Proposed Certified Wood Credit (LEED)
Under the newly proposed credit language, wood certification schemes would be evaluated for eligibility to earn points toward LEED certification against a new set of Benchmarks. The public comment period runs until September 7, 2008. If approved by the USGBC membership, wood certified under programs deemed compliant with benchmarks would be recognized by LEED and could earn one project point towards LEED certification. (Currently only Forest Stewardship Council, FSC, certified wood qualifies for LEED.)
Proposed USGBC Forest Certification System Benchmarks
Executive Summary: Recognition of Certified Wood Products in LEED
Submit Your Comments (link at bottom of webpage)
Require Producing Mill to Label Lumber
During the LBMI Eco-Forum the representative for the Sustainable Forestry Initiative, SFI, said that if lumber dealers required a permanent eco-label on each piece of wood at time of purchase, then the label could replace chain-of-custody as long as the product (piece of wood) is not modified in the supply chain
Pending our request for ALSC standard and grade stamp, it is recommended lumber dealers require producing mills to label their eco-certified product.
Suggested terms for purchase of eco-certified lumber:(1) producing mill to provide permanent eco-label on face of each piece of lumber
(2) eco-label must identify the certifying organization and percent of mixed content
Will New Framing Systems Tout ENERGY STAR Blue Label?
Sam Rashkin, national director of the EPA’s Energy Star for Homes program, will address attendees of the 2008 ProDealer Industry Summit on Friday, Oct. 3. His session, titled “Energy Star: What’s Next?” will explore why the rules of home building have changed, and how builders and their suppliers can ramp up their product offerings to address this new paradigm shift.
“Builders and their suppliers need a compelling value proposition to stimulate interest in new homes,” Rashkin said. “More than ever, Energy Star Qualified Homes address industry business objectives with unique opportunities to survive a soft housing market.” Rashkin also noted that the number of builders joining as Energy Star partners each month has increased nearly tenfold over the last 18 months.
Rashkin will explain the concept behind Advanced New Home Construction, a method of building a super energy-efficient home with little or no carbon footprint. With new thermal imaging (think an x-ray of the home) there will be total transparency to workmanship, materials performance, and heat loss within the structure.
Come listen to Sam and learn where we’re all headed. He spoke at both of LBMI’s Green Forums where he received outstanding reviews for his straight-shooting approach and his visionary work. Rashkin has served as the sole director and architect of the highly successful Energy Star program.
Federal Trade Commission (FTC) Looks at Green Building Claims
In July, the FTC invited representatives from NAHB, the USGBC, and the EPA’s Energy Star program to give recommendations to FTC green building workshop at the agency’s headquarters in Washington, D.C.
Click here to read NAHB’s comments.
HUD Releases LBMI Supply Chain Research Report
April 2008, HUD’s first study focusing on the role of building material dealers in the home building supply chain. The two-year study was conducted for LBMI/NLBMDA under a cooperative agreement with the US Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and its Partnership for Advancing Technology in Housing (PATH). For Executive Summary, click here.
Lead researcher, William I. Whiddon, will report on findings and potential next steps at the NLBMDA/LBMI Annual Meeting/Summit in October.