Wood has many advantages when it comes to sustainable design.
Wood is a historic and durable building material that has lent itself to sustainable design for thousands of years. Not only has wood long considered to be an environmentally friendly resource, but renewed focus on recycling and renewability has put it at the forefront of modern sustainable design. Here’s a quick look at some of the advantages wood has for going green.
Certified Sustainable Wood
Over 200 million acres of forestland in the U.S. alone are certified sustainable, and can largely be attributed to these four forest certification programs in North America:
- The Forest Stewardship Council
- The Sustainable Forestry Initiative
- The American Tree Farm System
- The Sustainable Forest Management Program
Reclaimed Wood
Beyond simply certification, one trend in the green building world is the use of reclaimed or “rediscovered” wood. Using environmentally reclaimed lumber not only has the “green” marketing appeal, but can save huge on construction dollars. The natural aesthetic of reclaimed wood is also trending and unsurpassed by other materials. The Rainforest Alliance says reclaimed wood includes the following:
- Demolition projects and antiquated buildings.
- Unproductive trees from orchards.
- Secondary manufactured wood-byproducts.
- Fallen trees reclaimed from rivers and lakes.
- Wood safely reclaimed from demolition landfills.
- Dead, fallen, diseased, or nuisance trees from urban/suburban properties.
Finished Carpentry
Wood is incredibly popular when it comes to finished carpentry such as paneling, trim, reception areas and countertops. Non-toxic finish applications for carpentry are preferred for sustainable building. Considerable research has gone into developing water-based coatings that give the same performance properties of solvent-based coatings.
Building a Better World
Through reclaimed lumber, construction site recycling efforts, and non-toxic finishes wood is turning out to be the key to creating a more sustainable world. With a growing interest in renewable resources, wood products are playing an essential part in preserving our environment and dealing with ecological concerns around the world.
Get In Touch With Mahogany Inc. To Learn More About Custom Woodwork Today
Mahogany, Inc. is a general contractor specializing in quality construction for projects across a wide range of industries. Located in southwest Baltimore, we employ 100 persons, and are one of the largest minority-owned businesses in the state of Maryland. If you are looking for custom millwork or other amazing wooden installations, then check out our website! Make sure to check back with our blog every week and find us on social media for important updates!