Green Building and Panelization - For Builder Architect Magazine
Responsible Value Delivered

As Green Building is becoming more mainstream and even recognized as an amenity by home buyers, it is becoming easier for builders to go Green. As a result of their processes, Panel producers are in a position to provide a Green product at little or no increased cost to the Builder.

Panel producers are Going Green in the factory, through two main areas; products integrated into the final panels and their own factory processes. In selecting the raw materials to be used in panel construction, Panel producers can easily select Green suppliers for most of their requirements;

• Framing Lumber – at no significant increase in cost, lumber can be sourced from mills that are certified by either Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) or The Sustainable Forestry Initiative (SFI). This ensures that the mill and it’s suppliers “integrate the perpetual growing and harvesting of trees with the protection of wildlife, plants, soil, water and air quality”.
• Engineered Lumber - Through increase use of Engineered Lumber, not only can panelized firms deliver increased quality (see my last months column on Kiln Dried and Engineered Lumber for details), Engineered Lumber uses smaller diameter and recycled material that in past times may have gone into a landfill. Engineered Lumber also reduces the need for large diameter trees to yield 4x or 6x headers and beams (replaced by Glulams or Timberstrand/LSLs), as well as for 2x12 floor joists (replaces by I Joists).
• Oriented Strand Board (OSB) Sheathing – Through the use of OSB in wall and roof sheathing, a increase in the use of small diameter trees and recycled material is realized without a decrease in performance. PS2 rated OSB is an accepted substitute for APA rated Plywood for walls and roofs and delivers the Green solution.
• Caulk, Sealants and Sub-floor adhesives – Low and no VOC products are available from many suppliers such as Henkel/OSI and others, in these areas. Though sold at a small premium, there is no degradation in performance and a significant improvement in “in factory” VOCs.
• Zinc-Borate LSL Sill Plate – Through the sue of Engineered LSL – Zinc Borate Treated Sill Plate in wood to concrete applications, the need for use of Hot Dipped Galvanized anchor bolts, all thread rod, nails and seismic hardware is reduced or eliminated. This removes the need for a components of the building system that requires a significant environmental impact in the manufacturing process – hot dip galvanizing. This reduces emissions and increased workplace safety.

In their internal processes, Panel producers can deliver Green in many ways, including:

• Zero Waste – Through optimization software used with framing lumber, to innovative use of sheathing material excess, Floor and Wall Panel producers can reduce the waste generated in producing a structure to less than 3%, which (the 3% waste) is then sold for uses such as horse paddock flooring and other manufacturing processes that use chipped or similar material. This is a dramatic improvement over the 15% to 22% waste we see on the jobsite, that all ultimately goes into landfills and creates a jobsite hazard in the mean time.
• Kiln Dried Lumber and Engineered – Through the use of these plum, square and level produces, gaps are reduced and eliminated, providing a much superior building envelope with significantly lower air flow through the structure perimeter.
• Sill and Panel Join Sealer – Through the use of a sealing strip between the walls and either the raised floor or foundation, as well as between panels as they are placed, the building envelope seal is greatly increased. In combination of the use of KD Lumber and Engineered (see above) the Panel producers in Europe have been able to achieve a standard of Zero Air Penetration at a 50 mile and hour wind.
• Sawdust Capture and Recycle – Sawdust generated in the production process can be captured and recycled as well, eliminating landfill space as well as air borne particulates.
• Packaging – The wood used to protect the panel packages in transit can be fully used during the backing and in fill frame portion of the construction process, eliminating the need to send packaging waste to landfills.
  
  Working with a responsible panel producer allows the builder to represent to the city or county that they are committed to the community ands the environment, without increasing costs. The smart builder will also integrate the Green approach into their marketing material as presented to the ultimate home buyer. Form more information see www.formahomes.com and click on the Green Building link.