Garbon Ghallenge Free APA seminars pitch cutting-edge theory with practical applications

AsERTES oF FREE residential design and construction la.seminars presented by APA and its partners drew crowds of building professionals across the Southeast this spring. The seminars demonstrated practical applications for saving energy and resources in home construction, and showcased the design strategies employed by the winners of last year's Carbon Challenge Design Compe-tition, a contest that sought a single-family house design with the smallest environmental footprint.

Attendees to the free half-day presentations earned continuing education units (CEUs), while hearing multiple industry experts address a variety of topics, including advanced framing with wood, optimizing lumber usage and costs, improving energy efficiency, and strategies for cost-effectively designing and building homes with a lower carbon footprint.

"We're pitching cutting-edge theory for tomorrow, along with practical applications that can be used in home design and construction today," said APA senior engineered wood specialist Bob Clark, a seminar presenter. "Several knowledgeable speakers participated in this series, and I think the presentations resonated with the building and design professionals in our audience."

C.W. Macomber, an APA engineered wood specialist and seminar presenter, agrees that the response was very positive. "We solicited written feedback from the attendees following the presentations," Macomber said. "On the evaluation forms, we received comments like 'the presenters are all very personable and approachable,' and '(the seminar) was well planned, exciting, and moved quickly.' One attendee wrote that '(it's) more intelligent than regular CEU courses."'

Two of the seminar speakers, Damon Roby of True Design Studios and Mike Beny of Apex Technology, were among the Carbon Challenge winners-Roby was the competition's Grand Prize Design Winner, while Berry, an engineer, served as Roby's energy consultant. In their presentation, Roby and Berry discussed realworld strategies for maximizing operational energy efficiency and carbon performance.

"Damon and Mike demonstrated how to use these concepts in practical applications," said Clark. "The response to them was very positive. The audience liked hearing how they can immediately put these theories to use."

Roby's design was among the six winners recognized at a Carbon Challenge Design Competition awards ceremony on January 13,20ll at the 20 l1 NAHB International Builders Show in Orlando, Fl . The winning designs were so impressive. says Clark, that APA wanted to showcase them in the seminars. "The winners really put a lot of thought into the carbon footprint and operational energy of these homes, as well as proper design and constructability," said Clark. "If any of these six designs were built, it would have a positive impact on the carbon footprint of home construction today."

"We were so impressed with the level of innovation shown in the winning designs," said Mike Ritter, assistant director of the U.S. Forest Service, Forest Products Lab, a cosponsor of the program. "These designers really demonstrated how to use wood-frame construction to design homes that optimize our forest resources and minimize our impact on the climate."

The first seminar was held on April 12 in Gainesville, Fl., followed by dates in Jacksonville, West Palm Beach, Fort Lauderdale, Tallahassee, Pensacola, Orlando, Tampa, and New Orleans, La., concluding June 9 in Houston, Tx.

Cunently there are no plans to offer additional Carbon Challenge seminars, but that could change, said Clark. "The response has been very positive. There could be enough interest to do something more."

The Carbon Challenge Design Competition and Seminar Series was conducted in conjunction with the Raised Floor Living program, a cooperative promotion effort between APA and the Southern Forest Products Association. Program sponsors and contributors include the Advanced Housing Research Center: Forest Products Lab, Forest Products Association of Canada, Cellulose Insulation Manufacturers Association, St. Joe Co., NEFBA Wood Council, and the Florida Wood Council.

- Additional seminar information and competition winning designs can be viewed at www.apawood.orgl carbonchallenpe

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