APA - The Engineered Wood Association

July 6, 2008

True Green

Wood is the original green building material. Consider the following:

Green for life - In a cradle-to-grave analysis of identically constructed wood, steel and concrete homes, the wood home was more environmentally beneficial in terms of energy consumed, air/water pollution, waste production and global warming potential.*
Demand keeps it growing - Forest growth in the U.S. has continually exceeded harvest since the 1940s. We now grow 27 percent more timber each year than is harvested.
More product, less energy - Compare the energy requirements for manufacturing one ton of wood to one ton of other building materials; it takes 5 times more energy to produce cement and 24 times more energy to produce steel.
Nature's air purifier - A 2,400 sq. ft. house locks up 28.5 tons of CO₂ - roughly 7 years of emissions from a small car.

Arm yourself with the facts. Download Wood: Sustainable Building Solutions or visit our Environmental Facts & Green Building page.

*2004 Consortium For Research On Renewable Industrial Materials

E3 House Featured on Houston TV

The E3 Demonstration House, a cooperative effort between APA, the Southern Pine Council, and Houston's GreenHaus Builders, is currently featured in a recurring series on KHOU-TV's "Great Day Houston," a daily morning show. The first segment aired June 18 and showcased raised floor construction with sustainable engineered wood products and southern pine lumber. The second segment was broadcast on June 25 and focused on the green aspects of wood products. Additional segments will be broadcast throughout the summer. Click to learn more about E3 - Elevate, Educate, and Endure - and to view the "Great Day Houston" segments.

Build Your Career in the Wood Industry

Have you visited dozens of web sites on the hunt for a job in the wood industry? The APA Career Center is the place to search for jobs, internships and industry-related education programs.

Located at www.apawood.org/jobs, the web site includes job opportunities in the U.S. and parts of Canada.

Build your new career today!

Celebrating the Thunderbird

The 50th anniversary of a plywood sailboat inspired by APA's predecessor, the Douglas Fir Plywood Association (DFPA), will be celebrated in Gig Harbor, Washington August 1-3. The Thunderbird sailboat was the result of a design contest initiated by DFPA in 1957, and the first craft was built and launched in Gig Harbor in 1958. Thousands of plan sets were sold and hundreds of Thunderbirds have been built around the world since then. Click for more information about the 50th anniversary celebration, or click here for an article on the history of the Thunderbird that appeared in a 2005 issue of Engineered Wood Journal.

Although Thunderbird boat plans and specifications are no longer available from APA, they can be obtained from the International Thunderbird Class Association.

Innovative Cathedral Features Glulam

The new Cathedral of Christ the Light in Oakland, California is the subject of an article co-authored by APA that appears in the June issue of Structural Engineer. The 21,000 square foot cathedral features groundbreaking glulam applications and engineering techniques.

The strength and versatility of glulam make it an ideal choice for large, open churches and religious buildings that must be as inspiring as they are structurally sound. To learn more, visit APA's Glulam in Church Construction page or download the free Glulam in Sacred Spaces.

Photo courtesy of The Cathedral of Christ the Light.

Be Prepared in the Event of a Hurricane

One of the best ways to safeguard a home from hurricane damage is to install plywood shutters over all large windows and doors, protecting them from windborne objects.

Learn how to protect your home with APA's Hurricane Shutter Designs publication, Form T450, available in English and Spanish, and visit our Wind & Earthquake page for information on structural panel wall sheathing.

Learn More About APA Member Products

Get the latest information on APA member products, locate a member manufacturer near you, and download publications from the products section of apawood.org.