I recently completed a large custom door project where the designer specified many selections from 3form glass company. As I started to research the product further, I found out that they use post consumer recycled products in their glass/ design products, and also exemplify what it means to be a responsible manufacturing and production facility. Not to mention, designers and architects love their designs that are truly unique and you will not see anywhere else.

3form continues to innovate and expand its offerings of aesthetically refined low impact products. Their mission is to design beautiful materials that demand less from the natural world and are kind to people. Never satisfied, they are continually developing ways to further reduce the impact of their products and the way in which they produce them.

They produce materials that: 

• Contain high levels of recycled content (Varia Eco-Resin & 100 percent)
• SCS rapid renewable and sustainability harvested materials
• GREENGUARD Indoor Air Quality certified (Varia, Chroma, Alabaster.
  

3form has long demonstrated a progressive stance on minimizing their environmental footprint. As the breadth of sustainable initiatives increased, they sought an individual to coordinate and lead their overall environmental efforts.

Erika joined 3form in the summer of 2007 as the Sustainability Coordinator. She leads 3form in achieving their Path to Zero goals, a set of aggressive and concrete initiatives to minimize the environmental impact of 3form product and processes. Erika also expands and deepens the culture of activism and stewardship among the several hundred 3form employees. She has also led efforts to establish an Environmental Management System, reduce energy use, commit to publicly reporting all greenhouse gas emissions, and spearhead a number of community volunteer and outreach efforts.

Erika is a LEED Accredited Professional and holds an honors degree in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology from Brown University, along with a Masters Degree in Environmental Policy and Communication from the University of Utah.

Additionally, 3form does extensive human-factor testing and commits substantial resources to improve and create new products that enhance the quality of human life, including: 

• Flammability / toxicity testing for safe interiors usage
• Insulation Performance for thermally efficient buildings
• Safety Impact testing for safety and security applications
• Air Quality testing for clean air and building quality
• Design with concern for end of life: reusability, recyclability and safety

Exceeding industry expectations, 3form has set distinctly aggressive goals for minimizing the impact of not only their products, but of their processes. Collectively they refer to them as our Path to Zero.

• Waste – We will stop sending manufacturing waste to landfill.
• Energy – We will be carbon neutral by 2017.
• Product – We will continue to increase the recycled content in our products.

3-form products and solutions help you earn LEED* credits in five categories. They are proud to be a member of the USGBC and their materials are ideal for LEED certified commercial buildings. They also provide detailed information on how 3form products and processes can help you achieve LEED certification in your next green project, so check them out!

photo credit: Terren in Virginia

A coalition of sponsors introduced an emission standards bill in early September on Capitol Hill.  Broadly based on the California Air Resources Board’s CARB rule that began last January, this legislation would mandate a reduction in formaldehyde levels in composite wood products–particle board, plywood, and medium density fiberboard.  The EPA says urea-formaldehyde can be toxic, allergenic, and carcinogenic.  It is a VOC (volatile organic compound) that can cause anything from allergic reactions to cancer.  Hopefully, this legislation will pass and the EPA can enact a mandate effective as early as 2011.

Where would I find formaldehyde in my home?  It is commonly used as a drying agent for adhesives in composite wood products such as plywood, MDF, flooring, cabinetry and doors.  Compliance labels may show a product as no-added formaldehyde, ultra-low-emitting formaldehyde, or formaldehyde-free.  The word “added” is due to the fact that small levels of formaldehyde occur naturally in wood.

Be sure to know what compliance you are quoted.  While many producers have already made the change, many are resistant due to the added cost.  The good news is, once there is a mandate, it will be a level playing field and the safer products won’t be passed up for budget reasons.

There are do-it-yourself tests for formaldehyde levels in your home but I recommend finding a professional for an accurate test.

Tru-Stile has again showed why they are a leader in the MDF and Wood door industry with their new announcment. TruStile is pleased to announce an improvement to their stain-grade wood door construction that will enable them to offer FSC certified wood doors by late 2009. This will make TruStile your single-source provider for premium, stile and rail “Green” doors in both MDF and most stain-grade wood species.

As of Monday, July 6th, they began transitioning their stile and rail core “TruSpec” material to an advanced and FSC certified LVL (laminated veneer lumber) made of douglas fir. In addition to being FSC certified, the new LVL core outperforms their current TruSpec core. Their wood door panels will continue to be constructed with an MDF core to prevent panel shrinkage and cracking.

After a substantial engineering review and thorough product testing, they are confident that the new LVL core material will make their premium, furniture-grade wood doors even better. The new LVL has been proven to be an extremely effective material for leading exterior window and door manufacturers like Andersen Windows and Kolbe & Kolbe as well.

Photo credit: elgreco in bethesda

The Consortium for Research on Renewable Industrial Materials (CORRIM) at the University of Washington conducted a study on the environmental impact of lumber production.  They have interesting findings that might shock you regarding the sustainablility of wood.  Wood is among the most energy-efficient and environmentally friendly of all building materials.  Wood buildings are readily adapted and are a renewable resource, a characteristic of unparalleled value.  

CORRIM is a non-profit consortium of 15 research institutions formed to research the use of wood as a renewable material. In the study, CORRIM used typical building designs to construct hypothetical homes, and then compared the environmental benefits of wood-framed versus steel-framed houses in a cold climate and wood versus concrete in a warm climate.  The study looked at environmental effects across the entire life cycle of the home and produced the following results:

Energy Use:

• Construction of the wood-frame home used 17% less energy than the matching steel-frame home.
• Construction of the wood-frame home used 16% less energy than the matching concrete-frame home.
• The energy consumption measured included not just electricity, but also diesel and fuel oil to extract and haul materials, natural gas to generate steam in lumber mills, and electricity for steel mills.  

Global Warming:

• The global warming potential of the wood-frame home was 26% lower than the steel-frame home.
• The global warming potential for the wood-frame home was 31% lower than for the concrete-frame home.
• Using wood products instead of steel or concrete can further reduce greenhouse gas emissions from fossil fuels because more than half the energy used by wood mills comes from biomass – bark, sawdust and other residuals – a renewable source of energy.  

Photo credit: forestproductivity.net

Looking for a great product that also helps the environment?  You must be thinking wood.  No?  Well maybe you should.  Being green doesn’t mean you have to build a cold ultra modern house.  One of BMC’s sheetgood vendors, Sierra Pacific, points out common misconceptions about the resourcefulness of wood. 

Trees provide the only 100% renewable, recyclable, reusable, and biodegradable building product we have. Trees can be planted and grown in an endless cycle using the sun as their energy source.  Here are more reasons why wood is so environmentally friendly:

• In part because of economic incentives to replant, the total volume of wood in U.S. forests is actually 25% greater than in 1952.  Today, 37% more wood fiber is grown than is harvested in the United States.

• During the long growing period, trees grown for harvesting help clean the air.  During photosynthesis, trees absorb carbon dioxide and release oxygen.

• Wood biodegrades naturally.  When it burns or slowly decomposes, it enriches the soil.

Using wood products is not counterproductive but be sure you know where it is coming from.  The most recognized independent certification in wood products, FSC, assures that the best practices are used.  While BMC offers many FSC products, “only 5% of the world’s productive forests are FSC certified.  With over 13,500 certificates (July 2009), the number of companies along the forest product supply chain committing to FSC certification peaked at 50% in 2008.” 

Hopefully, you are one of those educated consumers that can increase this number.  Buying FSC certified wood products creates a demand for responsible forestry which is more than just a feel good stamp.  It ensures biodiversity, protects endangered forests, and makes them more viable for the future.  So think outside the box, and look inside the forest.

Self-contained Vacuum System

Consider full chain of custody when designing green.  No matter what lengths the manufacturer takes to produce an earth friendly product, the many hands of custody can be just as crucial.  Fancy certifications can be useless when they travel halfway across the world or are shipped to a high-exposure distributor.  The residential construction industry in Dallas is struggling to meet growing demands for green because it’s fairly new here.  Many distrubutors use good practices but have not seen justification to audit for certification.  Will we get there?  Yes.  But for the time being you should expect to pay for it. 

• No environmental exposure policy, certified by the State of  Texas
• 100% of manufacturing waste is recycled to local businesses
• More efficient CNC router replaces 12 traditional shapers
• Computerized line machine is 20% more efficient than previous machine
• Pursuing high efficiency lighting that would use 40% less energy
• Fleet of cab-over trucks replaced flat bed, using 30% less fuel
• Manufacturing glues and seals are non-toxic, water-based
• Delivery/dispatch tracking system minimizes vehicle travel distances
• Damaged and incorrect orders are resold to public or salvage
• High yield machining reducing mill waste
• Usable trim leftover at jobsite is credited back and resold
• Finger-joint trim has no added Formaldehyde
• MDF and flexible trim has low VOC and no Mercury content