Does the forest industry hold the answer for sustainable construction?
November 19, 2021 at Noon via Zoom
Opportunities for the built environment to help address carbon-related issues are at the forefront of discussions within the building design and construction community. The spotlight once held by operational energy efficiency has shifted to material choice and embodied carbon —and, in particular, which building products should be specified to achieve a more sustainable structure. This presentation will introduce innovative wood options, including mass timber, modular and prefabricated systems, and highlight their environmental benefits. Basic terminology related to carbon and buildings will be reviewed along with information on carbon sequestration in wood materials. The sustainability of U.S. forestry practices will also be discussed.
Learning Objectives:
- Identify mass timber products available in North America and their benefits, including structural versatility, prefabrication, lighter carbon footprint, and reduced labor costs.
- Review carbon basics and how material choice is related to sustainability, and understand carbon storage in wood products.
- Examine sustainable forestry practices in North America.
- Highlight possibilities for the expanded use and application of mass timber in larger and taller buildings.
About the presenter
Janelle Leafblad, PE
WoodWorks – Wood Products Council
Janelle has been an active building technology consultant since 2002, primarily in the area of wood technology, investigation and design of building envelope components, and construction for both historic and contemporary structures.
She earned her BS in Architectural Engineering from the Milwaukee School of Engineering and her MS in Wood Science and Technology from the University of California at Berkeley.
Janelle has been with WoodWorks for over seven years and provides assistance on non-residential and multi-family wood projects to designers in Oregon, Washington, Idaho, Alaska, and Hawaii. She is a licensed professional engineer in the state of California.