More green building shocks

Excuse our French, but quel diable se passe-t-il? What the devil is going on out there! The Green Building Council has just given PVC the same Green Star value as certified wood.

Yes, folks, it is true. The controversial product described by Greenpeace US as “one of the most toxic substances saturating our planet” has apparently changed its environmental spots – to the extent that the GBC Australia now puts PVC on the same level as certified timber in its building rating system.

And there is even more bad news for wood industry interests trying to get a fairer deal out of this self-styled champion of green building practices: the GBCA has just handed steel a ‘bonus point’ if it is sourced from members of the World Steel Association’s Climate Action Programme (i.e. the Australian Steel Institute).

You only have to look at the materials featured in the construction images flashing across the GBCA’s website to see where its priorities lie. And while the wood industry (globally) continues to pay heavily for initially missing the potential influence of green building organisations, these latest decisions are surely on the cusp of delivering unfair trading advantages?

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Queensland ‘slam’ on uncertified wood

While the Rudd Government moves at snail’s pace on a national illegal logging policy for Australia, the Queensland Government is about to slam the door on uncertified wood.

Beginning 1 July, it is understood Queensland will introduce a mandated timber purchasing policy, requiring all wood products used in public structures to be third party certified.

We were unable to get confirmation from the Ministry of Public Works, which would administer the scheme, in time for this issue of inwoodtoday. But Timber Queensland executive director Rod McInnes understands the new timber-purchasing mandate will take effect from the beginning of July. Read more

Logging freeze in Indonesia

Two of the biggest and most important global forest conservation deals in decades have occurred within a week of each other.

First it was the hugely significant agreement in Canada to suspend new logging on 29 million ha of public forest – an area twice the size of Germany (see inwoodtoday 26 May). And now there is a two-year moratorium in Indonesia on conversion of peat land forest.

The Indonesia deal follows a A$1.1 billion pledge from Norway at this month’s Forest and Climate Conference in Oslo, and requires Indonesia to freeze new logging concessions. Read more

NZ certification standard back on the agenda

After a seven-year impasse, the prospect of an FSC-backed  certification standard for New Zealand plantation forests is back on the agenda.

Development of a National Standard for Certification of Plantation Forest Management in accordance with Forest Stewardship Council principles has resumed.

Spokesperson for the Standards Development Group (SDG), Colin Maunder says the decision to move to a second draft (on hold since November 2003) has been accepted by FSC International. Full story

American hardwoods special

The Winter (early July) edition of timberDESIGN Australasia magazine will feature a special 16-page insert on American hardwoods (used extensively in Yale University's new School of Forestry and Environmentl Studies – pictured). There will also be an exclusive interview with the architects about the new aspirant to the ‘world’s tallest timber building’ title.

Other mid-year specials you won’t find other than in timberDESIGN, include:

• Timber finishing and coating – we talk to specifiers and suppliers about this vitally important stage in the timber design process

• Recycled timber – an exclusive look at it this increasingly valuable and scarce resource. Featuring interviews with suppliers and specifiers alike

• South-East Asian wood market – Malaysia’s attempt to create an international hub for traders and specifiers.

Plus our usual line-up of exclusively researched and compiled timber design case studies from architects, building and furniture designers from Australia, New Zealand and around the world.

Don’t miss out. Subscribe for just $55. Just click here 

More planted forest in new world

A perfect storm may be brewing for the forest sector, according to New Zealand Forest Owners chief executive David Rhodes.

Fresh from a world forest and wood products conference in Tokyo he says the balance of international supply and demand appears to be changing in favour of the owners of forest plantations.

“On the supply side, huge areas of natural forest across the globe are being protected in reserves and national parks. Also, the international pressure on illegal loggers is finally starting to tell – products from illegally logged and uncertified forests are becoming harder to sell.

“Meanwhile there is growing consumer demand for products that are renewable and recyclable. Also the ambitious bioenergy targets of many countries are driving demand for wood pellets, black liquor and other forest-based fuels.

Read more

Biofuels an expensive waste?

The contention is that biofuels are simply turning cheap food into expensive fuel – at taxpayers’ expense.

Global property rights defender, the International Policy Network (IPN), claims subsidies for biofuel are about political pandering and not cutting greenhouse gases.

Biofuels made from corn, palm oil and sugar cane have more than tripled since 2000. And the US was set to increase ethanol blending from 9 billion litres last year to 68 billion litres by 2012, and more than double that by 2022.

But the IPN says a leaked World Bank paper on the 2007-08 food crisis said EU and US biofuel production was responsible for up to 75% of the food price rises. Full story

Millions to be saved on NZ's steep slopes

Remote-controlled machines harvesting New Zealand's steepest forests could be delivering $100 million in benefits by 2016.

That is one of the outcomes expected from a joint New Zealand Government and industry funding venture aiming for substantial productivity gains through improved harvesting technologies.

Industry leader on the initiative, the Forest Owners Association (FOA), says more effective methods for harvesting trees on steep country are vital if the forest industry is to remain competitive and grow. Read more