Its low carbon footprint positions American hardwoods among the world’s most environmentally-friendly building materials, according to preliminary data released from an ongoing Life Cycle Assessment study by the American Hardwood Export Council (AHEC). These results were announced today (March 28, 2011) at the opening of ‘Green Building Middle East Exhibition and Global Summit 2011’, the region’s only dedicated exhibition and global summit for the sustainable design and construction for the built environment, at ADNEC in Abu Dhabi. Revealing the initial results of the LCA study, Rupert Oliver, AHEC Environmental Consultant, is set to deliver a presentation at the summit in line with AHEC’s mission to promote the environmental credentials of American hardwoods and to address increasing demands for sustainability in the Gulf’s construction sector.

The initial results of the LCA study commissioned by AHEC reveal the strong environmental performance of American hardwoods - underpinned by an expanding forest resource, sustainable management and low carbon emissions. According to AHEC, the carbon footprint of kiln dried American hardwood lumber shows that sequestration of carbon during the growth of the tree more than offsets total carbon emissions during extraction, processing and shipment to the Gulf. It also underlines how ocean transport is a relatively minor factor in the overall carbon footprint of American hardwoods. In addition, the heavy dependence on biomass rather than fossil fuel energy during processing is a particularly important factor in keeping the overall carbon footprint of American hardwoods low.

“The strategic environmental advantages given by American hardwoods might prompt you to ask whether this could be the most environmentally-friendly building material on the planet. A preliminary assessment of the carbon footprint of American hardwoods from forest to international distributor suggests that carbon sequestration during forest growth of the tree will more than offset the total carbon emissions resulting from harvesting, processing and transport,” said Rupert Oliver.

AHEC has also revealed its commitment to ensuring that sustainably managed American hardwoods receive full environmental recognition as the Middle East implements stronger green building standards. The move also complements AHEC’s mission to promote the environmental credentials of American hardwoods in the face of emerging public and private sector procurement policies. AHEC further stressed that among the environmental benefits of American hardwoods, just one should make many users and specifiers of building materials sit up and take notice - between 1953 and 2007, the volume of hardwood standing in U.S. forests more than doubled from 5 billion m3 to 11.4 billion m3. This fact is backed by national forest assessments made by the U.S. federal government. The huge expansion of resource, which actually coincides with a period of significant increase in U.S. and international wood demand, is testament to a long-term commitment to good forest governance and sustainable hardwood production in the United States.

“American hardwood is a prime material in the Middle East region’s rapidly expanding construction sector and it has become a preferred choice of the design community for high-end interior projects such as public buildings, hotels and corporate offices, as well as in private homes. In addition to the aesthetic quality and performance in application of U.S. hardwoods, it is crucial that we ensure its environmental credentials are properly understood and fully represented in the face of increasing green building legislation,” said Roderick Wiles, AHEC Director for Africa, Middle East, India and Oceania. “Not only will the LCA study provide the science behind the low carbon footprint of American hardwoods, but it will also lead to the development of Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs), for U.S. hardwood products. These will allow architects and specifiers to select the material on the basis of full environmental disclosure.”

 

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