The new ANSI-accredited NAHB National Green Building Standard is a few months old, but picking up momentum with home builders across the nation.  From what I have seen and heard at the recent NAHB Green Building Conference in Dallas on May 8-10, 2009, this program will soon rival the USGBC’s LEED for Homes standard. 

I see one major difference, in that you must meet minimum requirements in each section and your weakest section will determine your achievement level.  Another key difference, as it affects the timber industry, is that any third-party certified wood can be used, not just FSC certified woods.  This allows for a wider availability of imported species that are SFI, PEFC, or even Certi-Source certified.  [Read more →]

Tags:   FSC certified woods · Green Building · NAHB · NAHB Green Building Conference · National Association of Homebuilders No Comments.

There’s a new “species” in town…it’s called Accoya®.  Manufactured in The Netherlands by Titan Wood,  it is the result of years of research and testing.  When we saw it, we were so intrigued that, although it’s not a hardwood per se, we added it to our product line.  Why?

For starters, we consider this to be the Cadillac of modified woods.  It is created using a process called acetylation.  This process has been around for a few decades, but Titan Wood is the first company to get the right formula with the right wood.  I’m not a chemist, so you can read more about the actual acetylation process on the Accoya product website, but it basically is a natural process that takes out the bad stuff and adds more of the good stuff.  The process uses what is naturally found in the wood.  Therefore it’s not “treated”, which makes it 100% recyclable.  It’s not baked either.  And this process works from surface to core, up to about four inches thick.  So this is not a topical solution either.  The result is an actual microscopic, mollecular structural change. [Read more →]

Tags:   Accoya · decking · siding · Species No Comments.

The National Association of Homebuilders (NAHB) will be hosting their National Green Building Conference May 8-10, 2009 at the Hilton Anatole Hotel near downtown Dallas.

East Teak Fine Hardwoods, Inc. will be in booth #702 and displaying our Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certified woods.  Come by and see our newest exterior wood decking and siding product – Accoya®.

Exhibit Hall Hours:

• Saturday:          9:30am – 7:00pm
• Sunday:            9:00am – 2:30pm

[Read more →]

Tags:   Accoya · Free Pass · FSC certified woods · FSC Ipe · Green Building · NAHB · NAHB Green Building Conference · National Association of Homebuilders 2 Comments