State & Private Forestry
Forest Products Laboratory
The Forest Products Conservation & Recycling Review is assembled and edited monthly by Adele Olstad and John Zerbe of the FPC&R; Technology Marketing Unit at the Forest Products Laboratory (FPL). Review contributions and correspondence may be sent to either Adele or John at the address below. For copies of FPL or North Central Forest Experiment Station publications,
contact FPL Information Services at the same address.
The individual items included in the Review reflect the content and tone of the original articles. Inclusion of an item does not
imply agreement nor endorsement by the U.S. Department of Agriculture of facts or opinions contained in any article. The Review does
not evaluate the accuracy of the information reported.
Forest Products Laboratory
One Gifford Pinchot Drive
Madison, WI 53705-2398
Phone: (608)231-9200
FAX: (608)231-9592
E-mail: FPC&R; Technology Marketing Unit OR
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Look for items in these categories:
Hiram Hallock, a renowned sawmill specialist who retired from the Forest Products Laboratory (FPL), USDA Forest Service in 1979, died on November 19. Hiram led a full and rewarding life. After graduating Magna Cum Laude with a B.S. degree in forestry from the University of Minnesota, he supervised a large tract of timber for a lumber company in Arkansas. In 1944, he moved to Middleton, WI, where he formed the Hallock Timber Company. He designed, patented, and built two portable sawmills, which he and his crews used for sawing timber into lumber on site for farmers and other landowners in southern Wisconsin and northern Illinois. For a brief time he operated a wood-treating plant. In 1957, Hiram took a position with an American company that built sawmills in northern Iran on contract. Hiram and his family lived in a small town on the Caspian Sea for 18 months. Upon returning to Wisconsin in 1959, Hiram began his 20-year career with FPL.
During his FPL career, Hiram was awarded the Superior Service Award and the Certificate of Merit from the U.S. Department of Agriculture. He was also recognized by industry as the first recipient of the Forest Industries Award presented by Miller Freeman, Inc. He and several coworkers were instrumental in the development of the Best Opening Face (BOF) computer program, which was the basis for the Sawmill Improvement Program (SIP), a national effort to analyze the conversion efficiency of the Nation's softwood sawmill industry. SIP was responsible for a nationwide improvement in lumber recovery of about 3-1/2% of the total U.S. softwood production, which would translate to approximately 1 billion board feet (bf) annually. [Note: 1 bf = 0.00236 m³; based on nominal, not actual, measurement.] Upon his retirement from FPL, Hiram enjoyed maintaining his award-winning tree farm, hunting, designing and building fine furniture, and truck gardening. Hiram is survived by his wife Esther, a son, daughter, and foster daughter, along with six grandchildren and two great-grandchildren. Those who had the pleasure and opportunity to work with Hiram will remember him as a leader in sawmill technology.
Welcome Back Ken Kilborn! Ken has accepted the position of team leader
for the Sitka Wood Utilization Center, effective December 5. As many of
you know, Ken retired from his position as a forest products specialist
with State and Private Forestry in March 1997 and began a new career as
a private contractor. He has been assisting the Governor's Timber Task
Force in business planning for southeast Alaska, and his extensive
knowledge will be an asset to the mission of the Center. Ken's address
is PNW Wood Utilization Center, 204 Siginaka Way, Sitka, AK 99835. Tel:
(907) 747-4308; Fax: (907) 747-4331; e-mail:
kkilborn/r10_chatham@fs.fed.us.
[Source: Ted Laufenberg, USDA Forest Service, Sitka, AK]
Dan Len to Coordinate SDU Program -- Dan joined the National Forest System (NFS) Forest Management staff in August and is located in the WO/Forest Management Detached Unit in Ft. Collins, CO. The position, dedicated to supporting Forest Service efforts in small-diameter and underutilized species (SDU), will focus on helping National forests and ranger districts meet objectives for forest health at a watershed level. Oversight to this program will come from both the NFS and State and Private Forestry. Initially, Dan will make field visits to forests to see "what is working" and will share that information with Forest Service management, Regions, National Forests, Co-op Forestry, and government partners. As the SDU program develops, Dan will be involved in making recommendations, reporting results, and collaborating with other SDU contacts. Dan has a B.S. in business administration from Auburn University and a B.S. in forest products from the University of Idaho. He has had extensive experience in silviculture and sale administration (Colville and Winema NFs), timber stand improvement, reforestation, and sale administration (Idaho Panhandle and Tongass NFs), and fire suppression (Inyo NF). If you have questions or would like to discuss SDU with Dan, call the Forest Management Service Center in Ft. Collins at (970) 498-1631 or 295-5751 or send e-mail to dlen/wo_ftcol@fs.fed.us.
Northeastern Station and Area Offices in New Location -- Effective November 15, the Northeastern Station and Northeastern Area headquarters moved from Radnor, PA, to their new facilities at 11 Champus Blvd., Suite 200, Newtown Square, PA 19073. The area code and 4-digit extension numbers for the staff remain the same; only the access code has changed, from 975 to 557. To reach an employee, dial (610) 557+(current extension).
Forest Service Website on Roadless Proposals -- The USDA Forest Service
has initiated a Website (roadless.fs.fed.us) for information and
feedback about a proposed rule for roadless areas. Two proposals are in
progress: a policy to determine management of the Forest Service's
large and underfunded roads system and a proposed rule for dealing with
approximately 50 million acres (20.25 million hectares) of inventoried
roadless areas on National Forests. The Website includes a schedule of
national and local meetings for public comment. Comments may also be
sent by mail to USDA Forest Service, Attn: Roadless, P.O. Box 221090,
Salt Lake City, UT 84122; by fax to (801) 517-1021; or by e-mail to
roadless/wo_caet-slc@fs.fed.us.
No comments will be taken by telephone. Comments must be received by December 20.
[Source: News Release FS-9923, December 1, 1999]
The Morris K. Udall Scholarship and Excellence in National
Environmental Policy Foundation has created a scholarship program to
attract students into careers in environmental public policy, health
care, and tribal public policy. Scholarships are awarded on the basis
of merit to sophomore or junior students who have excellent academic
records and demonstrated interest in and potential for careers in
environmental public policy, or who are Native Americans or Alaska
Natives with excellent academic records and demonstrated interest in
and potential for careers in health care or tribal public policy. The
application form is available on the Internet (
www.bu.edu/bufellow/udall.htm). Applications should be submitted to
the Boston University Office of Fellowships and Scholarships by
February 15, 2000. For more information, call the Foundation at (520) 670-5529.
[Source: Susan Odell, Rural Community Assistance, USDA Forest Service, Washington, DC]
The Forest Resource Fact Book, published by the National Hardwood Lumber Association, has been updated. The following topics are listed in the Table of Contents:
BioForest Technologies has announced the following schedule for its SFISM Standard for Sustainable Forestry and SFISM Program Implementation Course:
Course objectives are to familiarize participants with the AF&PA; SFISM principles, objectives, and performance measures for sustainable forestry and the SFISM voluntary verification process; to demonstrate a process for determining the appropriate set of SFISM verification indicators; and to assist participants in implementing the SFISM sustainable forestry program within the ISO 14001 EMS framework. Steve Ruddell, director of BioForest Technologies, will be the instructor. Class size is limited and preregistration ($550/person) is required. For more information, call (616) 866-3430, send a fax (616-866-5934), or e-mail (crs@mich.com).
Brazilian Market Pulp Project Faces Major Debt -- Two decades ago, American billionaire Daniel K. Ludwig took a gamble in the Amazonian rain forest. For various commercial enterprises, he bought land that, in total, was larger than the State of Connecticut. The original plans were scaled down to growing trees in plantations and marketing forest products from these plantations and native forest. A pulp mill was built in Japan, towed across the Indian and Atlantic Oceans, and floated up the Amazon River to its first major tributary, the Jari River.
Today, Jari Cellulose, as the project is known, is for sale--available to any bidder for $1. Better yet, the current owners, a Brazilian consortium that has experienced only one profitable year since taking over the enterprise from Mr. Ludwig in 1982, may even throw in a bonus of up to $20 million to the buyer. However, Jari Cellulose comes with a $354 million debt. The project will require several hundred million dollars in new investment, including $100 million to build an electric power plant, if it is to continue to manufacture high-quality pulp.
Jari may be an object lesson in profiting from Amazon resources, but it has fared better than most previous efforts like Fordlandia, Henry Ford's failed effort to grow rubber. Despite the history of failures in the Amazon rain forest and the performance of Jari to date, some contend that the company has turned the corner. Production is at 295,000 tons of pulp per year, two-thirds of which is exported to Europe and another 10% to North America. Production is expected to rise to 330,000 tons next year. The price of Jari-made pulp has also risen, from $320 a ton in 1998 to $580 this year.
Though some nationalist groups in Brazil have argued that Jari should
simply be closed, that seems unlikely since the social and political
cost to the Brazilian government would be high. The simple wooden house
where Mr. Ludwig stayed during his frequent visits to this tidy little
town, which grew up around the pulp mill, is now a museum that
describes Ludwig as a visionary. The museum and a similar display at
the pulp mill offer plenty of data about the history and functioning of
Jari, but make no explicit mention of the main lesson to be learned
from this venture.
[Source: The New York Times, November 9, 1999]
AF&PA; Wins Award for SFI Program --In spring of 1999, the national
environmental nonprofit organization Renew America recognized the
American Forest & Paper Association (AF&PA;) for its Sustainable
Forestry Initiative (SFI) program with the President's Council Award on
Sustainable Development under the category "Sustainability in the
Forests and Rangelands." The SFI program provides a comprehensive
system of principles and guidelines that all member companies are
required to uphold. (See previous article on BioForest Technologies.)
The standard encompasses wildlife and water-quality protection,
biodiversity conservation, harvesting practices, and a wide range of
other conservation goals. An independent, third-party Expert Review
Panel, comprised of representatives from the environmental,
professional, conservation, academic, and public sectors, monitors the
progress of the program. For further information on the AF&PA; or the
Sustainable Forestry Initiative program, visit the AF&PA; website at
www.afandpa.org.
[Source: Forest Products Journal 49(10): 6, 1999]
Housing Starts Slow But Strong, and Forest Products Industries Prosper -- The U.S. Department of Commerce recently reported that U.S. housing starts fell 5.6% in June to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 1.57 million units as the effects of higher mortgage rates and labor and material shortages were felt by homebuilders. By historic standards, however, home production and the housing market remain very strong. Forecasts indicate that starts will continue at lower but nevertheless very healthy levels through the year. Even with the projected decline, 1999 as a whole promises to be a very good year. While single-family starts fell 8.7% to 1.27 million units in June, multifamily starts rose 10% to 297,000 units, largely offsetting a nearly 15% decline registered in May.
Running counter to the housing trend, most North American paper and forest products companies posted fairly strong second-quarter results, in part because pulp, linerboard, and some paper prices have been firm and demand for wood products has soared. Behind much of the strong showing are spiking lumber prices. From June 1998 to June 1999, the composite price of framing lumber jumped 46% (to $473/Mbf), while prices of oriented strandboard more than doubled, to $325/Mbf, during this period. Flat to slightly improving prices in pulp, uncoated freesheet for office papers, and linerboard for packages will help the rest of the industry, which has cut costs and reduced capacity. Companies that focus on newsprint, however, are still grappling with falling prices. In June 1999, the price of some newsprint grades fell $15 to $480/ton, the seventh monthly decrease in a row and a 21% drop from November 1998.
A report from the Furniture Market held in High Point, NC, in April 1999 indicates that the American furniture market has been able to move forward even as world economies continue to struggle and there is increased pressure from foreign competition. The report was issued as a combined effort by the American Walnut Mfg. Association, the Appalachian Hardwood Mfg. Association, and the Hardwood Plywood & Veneer Association.
Cherry, red oak, pine, and hard maple were the big species winners at the Market. Rubberwood, alder, and American tulipwood also took the stage, probably because they can be finished to look like cherry. Beech and walnut were two species that made slight gains from the previous Market. Both beech and walnut enjoy universal popularity.
Many traditional casegoods are made from solid lumber, yet a combination of solid wood and veneered panels continues to dominate construction techniques. According to the Furniture Market report, when quality is of the highest priority, manufacturers of bedroom headboards and dresser tops, dining room tabletops, wall units, entertainment centers, and home computer stations combine beautifully matched veneers and solid lumber. By volume, cherry (16.7%), red oak (14.6%), pine (13.9%), hard maple (8.5%), mahogany (5.3%), and white oak (5.3%) were the most popular wood species used in bedroom and dining room casegoods on display at the Market. Painted-on wood, printed-on wood, overlays, and brass-glass-metal combinations totaled 18.8%, a rise from the previous Market.
A survey of the items on display found that 48% of the products were
made in the United States and 52% were made abroad. In terms of type of
construction, 75% of the items were made from a combination of solid
wood and veneered panels, 23% were all solid wood, and 3% were all
veneered panels.
[Source: The Northern Logger & Timber Processor, August 1999]
Weyerhaeuser Sells Composites Business -- Weyerhaeuser Company has sold
its composite panel production plants and a ply-veneer plant to
SierraPine Ltd. The move comes a year after Weyerhaeuser announced a
new strategy to improve profits by streamlining operations and focusing
on its core businesses in timberland, building products, and paper.
The four plants (one each in Adel, GA, and Moncure, NC, and two in
Springfield, OR) employ 550 people and produce 505 million ft² (46.9
million m²) of particleboard and medium-density fiberboard (MDF)
annually, and generated combined sales of $116 million in 1998. These
plants have increased SierraPine's composite panel production capacity
to approximately 950 million ft², 3/4-in. basis (88.3 million m²,
1.9-cm basis), making it the third largest composite panel producer in
North America. The Medite Division, based in Medford, OR, is the only
North American producer of formaldehyde-free MDF.
[Source: Environmental Design & Construction, September/October 1999 and Forest Products Journal 49(9): 5, 1999]
New Equipment That Allows Greater Use of Recycled Paper has reportedly
been developed by Valmet, a major paper machinery manufacturer. Its
Condebelt technology includes improved paper-drying techniques.
[Source: Resource Recovery Report, October 1999]
Old Newspaper Recycling for Export and Domestic Consumption -- Prior to 1990, the largest use of old newspapers (ONP) was in recycled paperboard (e.g., boxboard, chipboard, building materials). With the change in the production of North American newsprint with recycled content, U.S. newsprint mills now consume the largest percentage of ONP. Today old newspapers are the second largest grade of recovered paper in the United States. With nearly 8.8 million tons recovered in 1998, this category represents 20% of the country's total recovered paper supply. The large majority of ONP is obtained from residential curbside recycling programs.
According to the AF&PA;, the majority of ONP is exported to Canada, Mexico, and the Asia/Pacific Rim region for newsprint production. Approximately 50% of ONP collected is used for newsprint. Recycled paperboard remains an important user of this paper grade, consuming nearly 17%. What's unusual about ONP is its large use (almost 18%) in miscellaneous paper and nonpaper products, such as molded pulp, construction and bulking materials, hydro-mulch, and animal bedding. The largest use is in cellulose insulation, which has been growing rapidly through the 1990s.
Given the high number of curbside recycling programs in North American
communities, the number of new recycled newsprint projects will be
minimal. It is expected that the focus on the collection of ONP will
change from expansion to optimization and obtaining more materials from
existing curbside programs.
[Source: Waste Age, October 1999]
The National Wood Recycling Directory, published by AF&PA;, is being
updated. Companies can either update their listing or add a listing
online at www.afandpa.org or by calling (202) 463-5171.
[Source: Resource Recovery Report, October 1999]
Vancouver, BC, Has Banned Disposal of Several Classes of Paper Products from landfills and incinerators in an effort to reduce garbage disposal by 50% by the year 2000. Levying a 50% surcharge on the city's tipping fee for any load that includes more than 10% corrugated board, the city banned the disposal of corrugated board in 1997. On May 1, 1999, the city added newspaper and office paper to the ban, expanding the 50% surcharge to include all three paper products. Haulers who violate the ban are charged $32.50/metric ton plus a $65/ton tipping fee.
Although it's too early to measure the impact of the latest ban, the
city has experienced a large reduction in the disposal of corrugated
board since it was prohibited in 1997. Corrugated board represented
7.2% of the waste stream prior to the ban, but it fell to 2.6% of the
waste stream by January 1, 1998. Paper products represent 33% of the
garbage flow by weight and more than 50% by volume. Vancouver is not
the only region in British Columbia that bans paper products at
landfills. The Victoria and Nanaimo districts also prohibit disposal of
these materials to boost recycling and reduce the amount of trash
landfilled and incinerated.
[Source: Waste Age, November 1999]
Wood Dust Study Underway -- Approximately 1,000 employees of
wood-processing facilities have completed initial testing as part of a
6-year study to determine the relationship, if any, between exposure to
wood dust and worker health. The study, sponsored by AF&PA; and
supported financially by APA-The Engineered Wood Association and other
industry organizations, is being conducted by Tulane University medical
research staff. A total of 4,000 workers at 10 primary and secondary
wood-processing facilities will take part in the study. The results of
the research are expected to help avert the imposition of government
regulations.
[Source: Forest Products Journal 49(10): 11, 1999]
World Resources Institute (WRI) Moves Into "Green" Offices -- WRI recently
moved into its new environmentally friendly office in Washington, DC.
Materials used by the designers (Helmuth, Obata + Kassabaum,
PC)--sustainably harvested and salvaged wood, bamboo, and cork--reflect
WRI's commitment to biological resource management, climate, equitable
development, and sustainable enterprise. Paints and finishes,
countertops and flooring, cabinets, and carpentry were all chosen for
their environmentally friendly materials and manufacturing processes.
[Source: Environmental Design & Construction, July/August 1999]
New Power Generation Plant Using Wood Fuel -- Contrary to the trend of
closing wood-fueled power generating plants because of lowered revenues
as contracts based on high avoided costs run out, a new plant is to be
constructed near Northome, MN. Power companies have agreed to purchase
electricity from the 15-MW plant. The plant will be fueled by wood
waste generated by the area's forest products industry.
[Source: Resource Recovery Report, August 1999]
Builders Favor Structural Wood Panel Wall Sheathing -- Citing better
efficiencies in construction and added strength, residential builders
interviewed in a recent market analysis of competitive wall sheathing
materials are using plywood and oriented strandboard (OSB) in record
numbers. According to the analysis conducted by APA-The Engineered Wood
Association, over half the new homes built in North America are
sheathed with structural wood panels. The report estimates that 3.1
billion ft², 3/8-in. basis (288 million m², 0.95-cm basis) of plywood
and OSB wall sheathing were used in new residential construction in
1997. The share of single-family (SF) wall sheathing rose from 49% in
1996 to 55% in 1997; while the share for multifamily (MF) construction
rose from 38% to just over 50% during the same period. Other wall
sheathing products cited are foam sheathing (24% SF, 19% MF),
fiberboard (10% SF, 5% MF), and gypsum (2% SF, 13% MF). Besides adding
strength, plywood and OSB provide a more consistent, stable, straighter
base for applying exterior siding and finish material. For more
information, contact APA at (253) 565-6600.
[Source: Forest Products Journal 49(9): 5, 1999]
New Connection Reinforcing Methods for Prefabricated Construction -- In light of diminishing resources and increased pressure towards environmental sustainability, the University of British Columbia is conducting research on improved connections. Of particular interest in construction of multistory housing and light commercial buildings are newly developed structural composite lumber products that have superior primary material properties, but also demand more sophisticated connection methods to utilize the added strength and justify higher material costs.
Research funded by a Forest Renewal BC grant was aimed at developing connection reinforcing methods suitable for prefabricated heavy timber construction with structural composite lumber. Since a significant part of the Canadian market for such products is located in high-risk seismic regions, ductility or energy-absorbing capability was a primary concern, in addition to increasing the strength of the connections. The biggest problem in connections is the relatively weak perpendicular-to-grain strength of wood, which causes brittle failures and potentially catastrophic collapses. The main goal is to provide cross-grain reinforcement that allows a more ductile and controlled load transfer through stressing the wood in the longitudinal direction. Two reinforcement methods were found to be the most beneficial and cost effective. For smaller sections, surface reinforcement techniques in the connection region, such as the application of punched tooth truss plates, fiberglass, or plywood, increased both strength and ductility. Although dramatic improvements in these properties were achieved for single-bolt connections in small sections, not much strength was gained for larger cross-sections. In all cases, significant gains were made in the ductility of the connections, which is an important feature for earthquake-resistant design.
For larger cross-sections, an internal reinforcement method provided
more efficient strengthening. Threaded rods were inserted into the
wooden members, transverse to the bolts, approximately halfway between
the bolts, such that no load was directly transferred by the
reinforcement rods. Significant improvements were achieved both in
strength and ductility by preventing premature splitting of the wood.
[Source: Branch Lines, September 1999]
New Report on Medicinal Plants From North American Forests -- Medicine From U.S. Wildlands: An Assessment of Native Plant Species Harvested in the United States for Medicinal Use and Trade and Evaluation of the Conservation and Management Implications, written by Christopher Robbins for The Nature Conservancy, is based on a study by TRAFFIC North America, with funding from the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation and the USDA Forest Service and input from The Nature Conservancy. The report indicates that at least 175 native North American plants are offered on the nonprescription medicinal market in the United States; more than 140 medicinal herbs native to North America have been documented in herbal products and phytomedicines in foreign countries. The market for medicinal herbs in the United States is worth US$600 million and is growing at an annualized rate of more than 100%. The popularity of herbs and herbal products can be partially attributed to growing global appreciation for and adoption of naturopathic medicine, often perceived and publicized as a less-expensive and less-invasive form of treatment than modern medicine. But despite the commercial importance and therapeutic promise of medicinal plants, harvesting them raises questions about environmental effects on wild populations, species, and ecosystems. A total of 86 native North American species and two genera will be studied further to determine whether and to what extent commercial trade, as well as other critical issues, pose a legitimate threat to these resources.
The report lists species and provides information on extent of trade,
increase in demand and decline in population in the past 10 years, and
comments from other reviewers; it is available at some Forest Service
offices. For more information, contact Marc Bosch, Threatened,
Endangered and Sensitive Species Program Leader, USDA Forest Service,
Washington, DC. Tel: (202) 205-1220; Fax: (202) 205-1599; e-mail:
mbosch/wo@fs.fed.us.
[Source: Andrew Kratz, Regional Botanist, USDA Forest Service, Lakewood, CO]
Bamboos of the World, by D. Ohrnberger, is a comprehensive (taxonomic
as well as horticultural) reference work that includes botanical names
with synonyms, geographical distribution, characteristics of varieties,
plant size, and uses. The hard-bound 596-page book is available for
$238.50 from Elsevier Science Publishers, P.O. Box 882, New York, NY
10159-0882.
[Source: Forest Products Journal 49(9): 8, 1999]
In-Forest Drying of Roundwood for Construction -- German sawmills are
having significant problems in supplying heavy timbers for construction
because of the long time required to kiln dry large cross-sections. As
a result, air drying of debarked roundwood in roofed open sheds in the
forest seems to be a practicable alternative. Four German sawmills in
different locations are cooperating with BFH, the Wood Technology
Department of the University of Hamburg, and forest headquarters in a
project that involves drying roundwood in 15 sheds of spruce, larch,
and Douglas-fir. Six practical seminars, which have received much
interest from foresters, sawmill workers, architects, and wood
construction specialists, have been held to date. These seminars
revealed the need for more information and better communication to
improve the wood utilization chain from the forest to the construction
site. The demonstrations showed that construction of open sheds in
early winter with ready access to wind and sunshine is essential for
obtaining satisfactory construction wood quality. Spruce wood dried
under such conditions reaches the fiber saturation point in about 5
months.
[Source: 1998 Annual Report of BFH -- Translated from German by John Zerbe, Retiree, Forest Products
Laboratory]
U.S. Green Building Council and PATH Strive for Green Practices and Better Building in Homes and Other Construction -- The U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) coordinates activities for over 20 government agencies involved in green building activities. Particular emphasis is placed on saving energy costs in existing and new construction of Federal government buildings throughout the country. Important components of action plans are sustainable design, life-cycle casting, and value engineering. Demonstration projects are underway through the Environmental Technology Task Force of the Council on Environmental Quality, Environmental Protection Agency, General Services Administration, National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), National Park Service, National Institutes of Health, Naval Facilities Engineering Command, U.S. Postal Service, and Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD).
Through the Partnership for Advancing Technology in Housing (PATH), HUD will sponsor testing of technologies and concepts. PATH will underwrite housing developments that incorporate green aspects in several pilot projects in the Department of Energy's Building America program. PATH will also provide technical services to encourage deconstruction and replacement of existing public housing as an alternative to demolition.
PATH has established a Consortium for Wood Frame Housing, which consists of the National Planning Committee for Forest Products (the Forest Products Laboratory, universities with forest products programs, and USDA Cooperative State Research, Education, and Extension Service), AF&PA;, APA-The Engineered Wood Association, and the National Association of Home Builders Research Center. A Durability and Disaster Mitigation in Wood Frame Housing Conference, sponsored by the Consortium and the Forest Products Society, was held in November in Madison, WI. The primary objectives were (1) to provide current information on issues in housing durability and disaster mitigation and (2) to provide a forum for a workshop on developing a durability protocol that can be used to evaluate the performance of building products, materials, and systems from a durability and service life standpoint.
For PATH to realize its goal of improving the durability of structures
and reducing maintenance costs by 50%, metrics are needed for
evaluating building technologies relative to durability and service
life. NIST has been designated the lead Federal agency for realizing
this goal. The Durability Protocol Workshop, held in conjunction with
the conference, focused on recent efforts by the Building and Fire
Research Laboratory within NIST to work with interested parties on a
durability protocol. The National Evaluation Service's Building
Innovation Center, which has been established to accelerate market
acceptance of new and innovative building technologies, will employ the
protocol as a framework for designing and for conducting subsequent
evaluations for durability.
[Source: Environmental Design & Construction, September/October 1999 and PATH Conference Brochure]
Finger-Jointed Lumber Information on Web -- The Western Wood Products
Association (WWPA) has recently made information on its members'
finger-jointed products available through their WWPA Online Technical
Guide . Visitors to the site (www.wwpa.org/techguide/)
can view WWPA's quality control procedures for finger-jointed lumber as well as the
various grades and code information for WWPA-grademarked finger-jointed
lumber. The guide also features sections on lumber grades and quality
control, species and end uses, design values, specifications,
properties, MSR-rated lumber, and environmental information.
[Source: Forest Products Journal 49(9): 6, 1999]
The New England Kiln Drying Association has announced a lumber drying workshop to be held in cooperation with the University of Massachusetts Department of Natural Resource Conservation and the Cooperative Extension Service. The workshop will be held January 10-14, 2000, on the University's Amherst Campus. The program is designed for the novice or "backup" kiln operator as well as the experienced lumber dryer. The workshop fee is $325, which covers program costs only. For more information, contact Bill Rice at (413) 549-0795.
Contents
Forest Products Laboratory |
Forest Service |
USDA
Please send any questions or comments to
TMU/fpl@fs.fed.us.
Contact-Name: Adele Olstad
Contact-Phone: 608/231-9329
Document-Date: 1999 December 14
Abstract: November/December 1999 Issue of FPC&R; Review