Sustainability
Southern Pine:
The Sustainable Building Material
Sustainability in the Southern Pine lumber industry is paramount, which is why more trees are planted than harvested each year.
Wood, including Southern Pine, is ranked as the top sustainable building material. Southern pine trees are a fast-growing species, meaning they can be harvested and replaced quickly compared to other lumber options. This ensures a steady supply of the material without depleting natural resources.
Southern Pine forests, specifically, are some of the most productive and sustainable timberlands in the world, capturing large amounts of carbon from the air and storing it in the lumber you use every day.
WHY IS
Southern Pine
So Sustainable?
Southern Pine products require less energy to manufacture – meaning fewer greenhouse gases, like carbon dioxide (CO2). Trees use CO2 to grow, changing greenhouse gases into the building blocks we know as wood. That’s why wood products are increasingly being recognized as tools to combat climate change and are top of mind in the sustainability conversation.
The Low Carbon Solution
Forests are carbon sinks
Second only to the oceans, our forests are the world’s most important carbon sink (defined as anything that absorbs more carbon from the atmosphere than it releases). Each tree absorbs around one metric ton of carbon dioxide and produces around three-quarters of a metric ton of oxygen for every cubic meter’s growth.
Managed forests are Even more efficient
Young trees grow fast and absorb CO2 efficiently. As they mature, their rate of growth and CO2 absorption slows, until eventually the tree dies, rots, and releases the carbon it has stored into the atmosphere. In managed forests, mature trees are harvested and replaced with vigorous young trees. A good market for wood products provides a financial incentive for forest owners to invest in for the future.
Wood products are carbon stores
When a tree is harvested, much of its carbon is stored in the product it becomes. Because the harvested tree has been replaced, the carbon stored in the wood product is a bonus, which is why wood products are often said to be “carbon negative.” Wood products are 50% carbon by weight.
The carbon benefit can be extended
Southern Pine’s durability and strength mean wood used in construction can last a lifetime and longer. At the end of their life, wood products can be recycled or used as biomass fuel.
Sustainability Lifecycle
Sustainable Resources
Wood products are produced from trees, a renewable resource that only needs water and sunlight – both naturally produced and free resources – to grow.
Responsible Manufacturing
Bark, trims, and sawdust are used as an energy source to help power wood production facilities. It takes far less energy and fossil fuels to produce wood products than it does to manufacture concrete and steel.
Quality Construction
As a building material, wood offers a unique combination of benefits, including strength, affordability, ease-of-use, and environmental superiority.
Long Service Life
The durability of wood products contributes to the long life of a home. Wood products also store carbon, reducing the amount of carbon in the atmosphere.
Renovation Upgrade
The flexibility of wood makes renovating a home easy and affordable. Wood is both builder and environmentally friendly. Wood also enhances the aesthetic value of a home when used as flooring, cabinetry, furniture, and molding.
Recycle & Renew
At the end of its initial service life, wood products are easily recycled for other uses. Wood contributes fewer greenhouse gas emissions than non-renewable steel and concrete.
Need more reasons to make the smart climate choice and use Southern Pine?
Check out these lifecycle assessments (LCAs) in our Southern Pine Lumber Library:
- Treated Framing Lumber vs. Galvanized Steel
- Treated Lumber vs. Composite Decking
- Treated Wood Highway Guardrail Posts vs. Galvanized Steel
- Treated Wood Marine Piling vs. Concrete, Steel & Plastic
- Treated Wood Railroad Ties vs. Concrete & Composite
- Treated Wood Utility Poles vs. Concrete, Steel & Composite
SUSTAINABILITY NEWS
SFPA, Treated Wood Council Monitor EPA Labeling Program
From the Executive Director: July 2024
