Wood Proves to be a Primary Building Material in Today's Construction Industry

In today's construction industry, building industry professionals as well as consumers are finding that the best way to cut costs is by building green. There is no other building material better suited for those credentials than lumber. Recently, the U.S. Forest Service released a report documenting the environmental benefits of wood and proving that it should factor as a primary material in building green. This, combined with the current low prices of wood, provides for an ideal choice for home or commercial construction.

Today, the price of lumber remains steady due to an increase in exports. U.S. lumber and logs exports showed a strong first quarter with log exports up 51% and lumber exports up 53%. The fact that quantity is up significantly more than value shows that there is a downward pressure on prices. This is why lumber was able to maintain a low price while there was an increase in the prices for steel and concrete. The currently low price of lumber is a great opportunity for industry professionals and consumers to cut construction costs. Additionally, there are further savings and advantages for choosing to build green.

In a recent report conducted by the U.S. Forest Service, it was found that using wood in building products yields fewer greenhouse gases than other commonly used materials. This allows for consumers to cut costs on heating and cooling throughout the life of the structure. The report also states continued research of wood-based products and technologies will contribute to more environmentally responsible building materials and increased energy efficiency, which may lead to further consumer cost savings.

During a time when it's absolutely imperative to save, lumber provides opportunities to cut costs through various ways. Substantial environmental and energy efficient research paired with construction cost savings makes wood the best choice for both industry professionals and consumers.

Mid-Rise Wood Frame Construction Gaining Momentum

Multi-Story Structures are Becoming Increasingly Commonplace in Urban Areas

In Hawaii, multi-story wood frame construction is predominantly used for suburban multi-family residential housing. However, the popularity of urban multi-story wood frame residential and non-residential structures is now spreading, with a growing list of examples from major metropolitan areas throughout the country. With modern design approaches to seismic and fire safety for mid-rise wood frame structures and the benefit of reduced construction costs, wood is providing cities with the opportunity to refresh and Wood-frame construction has long been recognized for providing superior performance against strong winds and earthquakes. However, special considerations regarding structural durability and fire safety do get taken in to account when it comes to mid-rise buildings. Structural walls and floors sheathed with structural wood panels maintain high stiffness and strength in the design range, and, if pushed to maximum capacity, tend to yield only gradually while continuing to carry high loads. These assemblies have high ductility which absorbs a great deal of energy before failure. When it comes to fire safety, sprinkler systems are used along with fire resistance rated wall, floor and ceiling assemblies to maintain occupant safety. Additionally, building code provisions for wood-frame construction make it equivalent to other construction methods in terms of fire and life safety. Modern wood technologies and building materials, such as cross-laminated timber (CLT), also offer even greater structural and fire resistance properties while maintaining a high level of quality. Such innovations may likely enable the construction of buildings greater than six stories.

Additionally, another advantage of this growth in mid-rise, light wood frame structures is cost efficiency. Wood is the least expensive building material. Also, wood offers quicker construction than steel or concrete as wood is easier to design and build. As a result, consumers can benefit from reduced labor costs. In addition to the construction cost savings that wood provides, another reason for its success is due to its environmental sustainability. Manufacturing wood products require less fossil fuel-based energy and are responsible for far less greenhouse gas emissions than the manufacture of steel or concrete. Also, wood's cellular structure contains air pockets that limit its ability to conduct heat, helping to minimize the energy needed for heating and cooling. Plus, treated wood, specifically DOT treated wood, provides a low toxicity alternative for protecting timber from wood destroying organisms, such as termites.

To promote the use of wood for multi-story and mid-rise projects, the Hawaii Lumber Products Association (HLPA) is committed to the education of wood-frame design and construction. As Hawaii's only devoted lumber association, the HLPA is dedicated to providing homeowners and building industry professionals with information on wood's sustainable advantages, cost savings and structural integrity.

The environmental benefits of wood, combined with its cost savings and structural durability, creates the ideal building material for multi-story construction and encourages builders and architects to push the limits of wood engineering and design even further. However, beyond its technical offerings, wood-frame mid-rise buildings enable more dispersed urban intensification that maintains a neighborhood warmth and charm in a cold concrete and steel jungle.

The Hawaii Lumber Products Association is comprised of professionals representing the development and construction industry as well as building material producers and service companies. They are committed to the education and promotion of lumber products as the best choice for home construction in Hawaii. To find out more about using wood to build commercial buildings, please visit www.hawaiilumber.com.