The U.S.D.A. Forest Service recently released a report summarizing the scientific findings that support the environmental and economical benefits of using wood and wood products in green building construction.
According to the USDA Forest Service, “The use of forest products in the United States supports more than a million direct jobs and contributes more than $100 billion to the U.S. Gross Domestic Product. The sustainable use of wood products supports forests, jobs, national income, and a healthy environment. It also contributes to green building by reducing environmental burdens with constructing, operating, and decommisioning many other types of buildings.”
So how can using wood products be better for our environment?
Let’s look at some facts from industry peers and published reports:
- Using wood plays an important role in mitigating climate change and is a renewable resource.
- Harvesting, transporting, manufacturing, and using wood in lumber and panel products contributes to reducing air emissions and greenhouse gases (GHG).
- North American forests help with climate change by absorbing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere however what many don’t know is using wood products continue to store carbon dioxide, keeping it out of the atmosphere in the first place and indefinitely.
- Less environmental emissions to construct commercial and residential buildings using wood than using concrete and steel.
- Fossil Fuel consumption which contributes to increased GHG emissions into the atmosphere and quantities of solid waste tend to be less in the manufacture process of wood products.
- Over 100 years, net GHG emissions are 20%-50% less than alternative construction materials such as steel and concrete.
These are just a few examples but we don’t want to bore you with a huge list. Take a look at the full USDA Forest Service report HERE
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