As key homebuilders and home centers promote certified wood products, remodelers may find a competitive advantage in offering these products to their own clients.
Certified wood comes from forests that have been certified by specialist groups, such as the Forest Stewardship Council, to meet specific criteria. These criteria focus on the forest’s ability to sustain the amount of wood cut and how well it is managed for other environmental concerns. These programs gained center stage last year when The Home Depot and two major homebuilders, Kaufman & Broad and Centex Homes, all announced they would give preference to certified wood—and would promote their use of it.
Certified Forest Products Council (CFPC) has embarked on an awareness-building program for certified wood products that includes public relations programs, trade advertising, literature and a Web site (www.certifiedwood.org). Most consumers are not yet aware of the advantages of buying wood products from a well-managed forest, says Jean Sneed, director of membership and marketing for the CFPC.
“They need education because they have the wrong idea about product choices,” she says. “Many think they want to avoid killing trees and prefer to use plastic or steel options.” But those choices have environmental effects that use up natural resources that can’t be replaced as trees can—if they are managed well.
To learn more about the CFPC programs, visit the Web site, call (888) 737-3877, or e-mail info@certifiedwood.org.