Thursday, 01 April 2004
FSC & CWPA Make Joint Showing at Green Building Conference
On March 13-15th the National Association of Home Builders held a Green Building Show and Conference in Austin, Texas. Over 500 individuals attended, representing builders, contractors, architects, engineers, and green building advocates. All of these are important audiences for FSC certificate holders and members of the Certified Wood and Paper Association (CWPA). FSC and CWPA shared the cost of a booth for the two-day show. Michael Washburn and Katie Miller from FSC-US and Terry Campbell from CWPA staffed the booth.
Sixty-five individuals visited the booth over the period, many had questions about FSC, but most came by to share their experiences in specifying and using FSC-certified wood in buildings. While there were many success stories, some complained about their difficulties in finding certified suppliers. This confirms other feedback from builders and architects that FSC has engaged in our outreach who tell us there is significant demand for FSC-certified materials. This is driven in part by the U.S. Green Building Council’s Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) program, and in part by the interest of progressive builders who recognize that their selection of wood can have significant environmental and social impacts.
Currently, the best match between supply and demand is occurring in the Northeast, Northwest, and Midwest, with challenges still to be met in other regions.
Because FSC insists on rigorous tracking of certified products in order to carry the label, significant volumes are sold to non-certified buyers. The material may be available, but is not visible, and consequently builders have no assurance that their wood is certified. As word gets out of true demand, this dynamic is likely to change.