Why Wood is Best for Building Explained at New Website

OLYMPIA, WA - Laying out the case for wood construction over steel, concrete and bricks, the Innovative Wood Products Collaborative notes that as timber grows, it soaks up carbon dioxide. That carbon is stored in wood products, a carbon sink that mitigates climate change.

About half of the dry weight of wood is stored carbon;  while 16 percent of global fossil fuel goes into making steel, bricks and concrete. At www.TheMostNaturalResource.com. details are presented about these and other benefits of building with wood.

The Innovative Wood Products Collaborative launch its website -www.TheMostNaturalResource.com - Sept. 11.

The new site is the product of a collaboration between Washington and Oregon sustainable forestry managers, wood products manufacturers, conservationists, academics and architects to highlight the latest information about using innovative wood products from sustainably managed forests.

Wood – the only building material that is grown by the power of the sun – is a renewable resource that has a low carbon and energy footprint. Using wood from sustainably managed forests will significantly reduce carbon emissions from the building sector.

As timber grows, it soaks up carbon dioxide - about half the dry weight of wood products - a carbon sink that  mitigates climate change.

According to a Yale University study, substituting wood for more energy-intensive building materials would reduce global carbon dioxide emissions by 14 to 31 percent because wood consumes much less energy than concrete or steel construction.

"Wood construction is incredibly fast and effective, with the added benefit of producing a building that stores carbon rather than emitting it," says Canadian architect Michael Green. "The only way to achieve a net-zero building is to build with wood."

As timber grows, it soaks up carbon dioxide through photosynthesis, and that carbon is stored in wood products. This creates a carbon sink that helps mitigate climate change. About half of the dry weight of wood is stored carbon. In contrast, 16 percent of global fossil fuel consumption goes into manufacturing steel, concrete and bricks.

"This collaboration between Oregon and Washington sustainable forest growers and manufacturers is capturing the recent wave of recognition among architects, builders and conservation groups that wood products have real carbon benefits, and can be used in tall buildings," says Mark Doumit, executive director of the Washington Forest Protection Association.

Source: Woodworking Network