$9.7 billion potential for engineered lumber

Ouestion:

Despite issues with forests, do you still believe wood is the most viable material for future new home construction?

More and more builden will seek alternatives as the supply of ordinary lumber continues to decline, Askey maintains. Engineered lumber is a mme environmentally friendly solution than alternatives such as recycled steel and plastic framing, concrete, stone and brick, which have significant drawbacks including higher embodied energy requirements.

The National Academy of Sciences estimates that laminated veneer lumber takes nine times less BTUs per ton to extract, process and use than does steel. Unlike these other materials, engineered lumber comes from a biodegradable, renewable resource, Askey points out. Furthermore, engin@red wood is mone easily adapted to existing building practices.

Askey believes public opinion will fuel increased demand for engineered lumber. "Despite the fact wood is becoming an increasingly more precious and more environmentally pnessured commodity, an overwheLning majority of

Ouestion: people still consider it to be the best material for building new homes," he says.

A LTHOUGH sales of engineered lumber prod-(aucts for residential use have increaseO Oramatically in recent months, total industry sales, which reached $350 million in 1992, are merely a fraction of the possible market.

"The full potential for engineered lumber in North American residential construction may approach $3.7 billion in 1993," says Marv Askey, who represents Trus Joist MacMillan to home cent€r chains.

He predicts uders for engineered lumber will grow with increased demand fueled primarily by the expense and inconsistency of raditional lumber. "Over the long tenn, the price of dimension lumber will continue to rise while quality declines," Askey says. "Engineered lumber, on the other hand, is structurally superior to ordinary lumber and priced very competitively. Since many people aren't willing to pay a higher price, they'll likely swirch o engineered lumber."

Do you agree that the government should support new technology in wood products to reduce the need for lumber from old-growth forests?

To prove his theory, he cites a study by independent research firm Market Facts, Inc. of American's attitudes about wood use in lssiflsntint construction. Commissioned in March by Trus Joist MacMillan, the survey revealed 687o of the American public still believes wood is the most viable material for new home consEuction. Wood has a long-term fuhrre in new home construction because it is a renewable resource in the opinion of 77Vo of those surveyed. In addition 767o wantthe government to support new wood product technologies to reduce lumber needed from old growth forests to build houses and 8l7o want the forest products industry to develop and promote technologies such as wood engineered from small, fast-growing trees as an alternative to old growth forest lumber.

Engineered lumber products can meet these expectations with competitive and stable prices,

Ouestion:

Do you agree that wood products have a long-term future in new home construction because wood is a renewable resource?

Response:

Ouestion:

Do you agree that the forest products industry should develop and promote new technology to utilize wood from small, fast-growing trees rather than old-growth timber? Response:

Story at a Glance

Askey explains. "Engineered lumber isn't subject to as great price swings as dimension lumber. Ordinary frarning materials must rely on currently uncertain supplies of large, old-growth logs, but engineered lumber can use readily available, small-diameter logs.

The installed price of engineered lumber is slightly higher per square foot than that of the solid-sawn lumber it replaces, but Askey says unique benefits more than compensate for this. Unlike regular lumber, engineered lumber has most of the mois0rre removed during the manufacmring process, so it won't change shape before or after it is instrlled. This eliminates customer callbacks. Some engineered lumber manufacturers guafantee their product against defects for the life of the home.

In addition, engineered lumber, typically half the weight of solid sawn, is easier 0o install and helps to reduce injuries caused by working with heavier, dimension lumber. While as much as llVo of traditional lumber might not be used at a job site, waste with engineered lumber, which is nanufactured to strict quality criteria, is usually less than lVo, typically the result of saw cuts.

Engineered lumber manufacturers can concain prices by diversi$ing timber sources and transforming previously unsuitable, low demand species such as aspen and poplar into high quality products. These fast growing, surall diameter trees provide a steady wood fiber source at a practical cost for manufacturing large dimension franing lumber, Askey emphasizes.