1. Engineered Wood, Sustainability
and Green Building Practices
Green Building Practices
For Wood Frame Construction

2. Learning Objectives
After this session, you will be equipped to :
 Define and Discuss Sustainability Issues
 Compare construction materials for “green”
compatibility
 Identify and select various Green Rating Tools
 Compare/contrast Green Building Programs
 Evaluate various EWP products based on the
deconstruction/reconstruction principle
 Discuss EWP framing systems recognized as
“green” by current Green Build programs.

3. Energy Facts
Energy doesn’t grow on trees
Decisions are now being made based on
energy costs and sustainability

4. A New Vocabulary
Life Cycle
Sustainability Renewability
Costs
Carbon Carbon Embodied
Sequestration Footprint Energy

5. A New Vocabulary
Green
Building
LEED Building
Green
Standard
Green Charrette
Globes

6. Components of Green Building
Resource
Efficiency
Environmental Energy
Impact Efficiency

7. Renewable Resources?
Wood Concrete Steel
Insulating Value? Yes NO NO
Renewable? Yes NO NO
Low Energy Cost to
Yes NO NO
produce?
Purifies the air? Yes NO NO
Potentially
Yes NO NO
Unlimited Supply?

8. Forestry Facts
Wood is renewable and sustainable
Source: APA

9. Wood is Good for the
environment
US Raw Material Production and Total Energy Used
Source: APA

10. Nature’s Air Purifier!
A growing forest produces 1 ton of oxygen and
absorbs 1.4 tons of carbon for every ton of wood
Mature trees slow in their absorption rate of CO2
Harvesting insures that the carbon is locked in the
wood (Carbon Sequestration) .
Decaying trees release stored carbon back into the
atmosphere
New trees with rapid absorption rates can be
replanted to continue this air purification.
Source: APA

11. Benefits of Wood vs. Steel and
Concrete
high insulating and
acoustic properties
recycling and resource
recovery rates
low pollution rates in
harvesting and milling
http://www.engineeringtoolbox.com/thermal-conductivity-d_429.html

12. Lifecycle Analysis
Resource
Extraction
Disposal, Reuse
Manufacturing
or Recycling
Building Onsite
Demolition Construction
Source: Building
http://www.athenasmi.org/ Occupancy &
about/lcaModel.html Maintenance

13. Comparison of Materials
5 times 126 times
14 times 24 times
more energy more energy
more energy more energy
to produce 1 to produce 1
to produce 1 to produce 1
ton of ton of
ton of glass. ton of steel.
cement · aluminum.
Source: APA

14. LCA Wood vs. Steel and Concrete
CORRIM Study Results:
Wood vs. Steel: 17% embodied energy
savings with wood
Wood vs. Concrete: 16% embodied
energy savings with wood
www.CORRIM.org

15. Lifecycle Analysis:
the environmental proof of wood*
Sustainability Attribute Wood Steel Concrete
• Total Energy Use • Lowest • + 140% • +70%
• Greenhouse Gases • Lowest • +45% • +81%
• Air Pollution • Lowest • +42% • +67%
• Water Pollution • Lowest • +1900% • +90%
• Solid Waste • Lowest • +36% • +96%
• Ecological Resource Use • Lowest • +16% • +97%
Source: Athena Institute. http://www.athenasmi.org
* Sullivan and Horwitz-Bennett, Using wood for sustainable design&construction

16. Not all engineered products are
created “green”-equal

17. Green Building Programs-
Who’s in the “LEED”
National Programs
USGBC/L.E.E.D. Leadership in Energy
and Environmental Design
NAHB/Green Building Standard
Green Building Initiative/Green Globes

18. USGBC/L.E.E.D. for Homes
Mission:
Promote sustainable building
Top 25% of Homes
http://www.usgbc.org/ShowFile.aspx?DocumentID=3638
Best Environmental Features
Promote Green Residential Builders
Promote Green Commercial Building

19. USGBC/L.E.E.D.
Categories
Location & Sustainable
Innovation
Linkages Sites
Water Energy & Material &
Efficiency Atmosphere Resources
Awareness
Indoor Air
and
Quality
Education

20. USGBC/L.E.E.D.
Platinum
Gold
Silver
Certified
Points adjusted for larger/smaller homes

21. USGBC/L.E.E.D.
How to Participate
Join
Identify project team (Charrette)
Build the home
Certify
Sell
Repeat…

22. NAHB Green Building Program
HBA driven
Online scoring tool
Based on GB Guidelines document
 Foundation for HBA programs
Residential ISO Standard -2008

23. NAHB Green Building Program
Lot Design,
Resource Energy
Preparation,
Efficiency Efficiency
Development
Operation,
Indoor
Maintenance,
Water Efficiency Environmental
Homeowner
Quality
Education
Global Impact

24. NAHB Green Building Program
Emerald
Gold
Silver
Bronze

25. NAHB Green Building Program
Builder Participation
Calculate your score
Forward to Green Verifier
Build and verify Green Status
Certify Home
Test and Inspect
Build again

26. Green Building Initiative
Mission
Accelerate best building practices
Green Globes (commercial construction)
Integrates use of Athena EcoCalculator
ANSI Standard for assessment of Commercial
Buildings
Promotes NAHB program to HBA’s

27. National Program Similarities
Checklist based
3rd party verification required
Similar categories addressed:
Resource efficiency
Energy efficiency
Framing recommendation similar:
Advanced Framing and O.V.E.
Designed to create marketing
opportunities

28. National Program Differences
NAHB program requires environmental
management systems for manufacturer
and builder- ISO 14001
FSC the only forestry certification for
LEED. (USGBC position under review)
NAHB recognizes multiple certifications.
LEED predominantly paper based, NAHB
and Globes are web-based programs.

29. Regional Green Building Programs
Wisconsin Green Built Home
http://wi-ei.org/greenbuilt/
New construction, remodeling,
multifamily, waterfront programs
Wisconsin Energy Star or REScheck +15
levels
Based on points checklist
Minimum 10% 3rd party verified

30. Regional Green Building Programs
Minnesota Green Star
http://www.mngreenstar.org/
New construction and remodeling
Certified, Silver, Gold levels
Based on a points checklist
All 3rd party verified

31. The Big “3” for wood frame:
Summary Categories
Resource
Efficiency
Environmental Energy
Impact Efficiency

32. Resource
Efficiency
Finding a Fit for Fiber:
Determining Optimum Value is
A Manufacturer’s Responsibility

33. Resource
Efficiency
The Principle:
Best And Highest Use

34. Energy
Efficiency
Resource Efficient
products used in an
Energy Efficient
Manner

35. Energy
Efficiency
Interplay between the wood frame system
and the thermal envelope

36. Environment
Protect the environment as you conduct
your business
• NAHB Program requirement: “the product
line, plant, or company must be ISO
14001 certified.”

37. EWP Applications meeting Green
Building Guidelines- Resource Efficiency
Life Cycle Assessment Tool
Download EcoCalculator at:
http://www.athenasmi.org/index.html

38. EWP Applications meeting Green
Building Guidelines- Resource Efficiency
Resource Efficiency
Use OVE/Advanced Framing
4’ and 2 Modules
Wider o/c Spacing
More Insulation
Eliminate thermal bridging
Single top plates
2 stud corners with drywall clips
P.E.T.
Construction layouts

39. EWP Applications meeting Green
Building Guidelines-Resource Efficiency
Resource Efficiency Applications- EWP
Wide Flange I Joists
24 oc performance
Framing layouts
Panelize
P.E.T.

40. EWP Applications meeting Green
Building Guidelines- Energy Efficiency
 Energy Efficiency Requirements: Increase R
Value in the building envelope
 Applications:
Remove wood, decrease thermal bridging,
increase insulation…..how?
Use wide flange, heavy duty I joists at 24
oc., 1 ¾” wide face studs for walls.
Stack roof framing over wall framing over
floor framing in a 24” oc module.
Use energy efficient materials when possible.

41. Advanced Framing Techniques

42. EWP Applications meeting
Green Building Guidelines
Environmental Impact
ISO 14001 Environmental Management
System
Defined: An objectively verifiable
declaration of your intended
environmental management system.

43. Summary
WOOD
Clearly superior building material
EWP provides optimum performance
opportunities
Not all Engineered Wood is created
GREEN equal.

44. Learning Objectives
Did we????????
 Define and Discuss Sustainability Issues
 Compare construction materials for “green”
compatibility
 Identify and select various Green Rating Tools
 Compare/contrast Green Building Programs
 Evaluate various EWP products based on the
deconstruction/reconstruction principle
 Discuss EWP framing systems recognized as
“green” by current Green Build programs.

45. Engineered Wood, Sustainability
and Green Building Practices
Green Building Practices
For Wood Frame Construction