Wood should factor as a primary building material in any green building project, according to a report from the U.S. Department of Agriculture released Thursday. As a result, Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack urged builders to prioritize wood in green building projects.
The report-"Science Supporting the Economic and Environmental Benefits of Using Wood and Wood Products in Green Building Construction"-confirms that using wood in building products yields fewer greenhouse gases than using other common materials.
"This study confirms what many environmental scientists have been saying for years," said Vilsack. "Wood should be a major component of American building and energy design. The use of wood provides substantial environmental benefits, provides incentives for private landowners to maintain forest land, and provides a critical source of jobs in rural America."
The report found that the use of forest products in the U.S. currently supports more than one million direct jobs, particularly in rural areas, and contributes more than $100 billion to the country's gross domestic product.
The study also found that increased use of life cycle analysis in building codes would benefit the environment, and that more stock should be granted life cycle analyses in green building material selections. The USDA also found that a lack of education hinders the acceptance of wood as a green building material.
