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February 9, 2007

Wood Studied for New School

Innovative designs for the first new school to be built in the last 20 years in Jefferson Parish, Louisiana, are now under consideration. Cathy Kaake, SFPA’s director of engineered & framing markets, recently participated in a Conceptual Design Workshop for the new Patrick Taylor Science and Technology Academy (PTSTA). The objective of her participation was to make sure wood products are given fair consideration. The school is being planned as part of a new development with the Jefferson Parish Economic Development Commission (JEDCO). The current vision for the $22 million school will cover some 85,000 square feet, accommodating 600 students in grades 6 through 12. Also participating in the workshop were Boston-based architect David Stephen and four New Orleans-area architects and planners with national reputations in cutting-edge school design.

Cathy spoke to the participants about the potential for wood products in the school and discussed the importance of the forest products industry to Louisiana. She also provided them with copies of APA's brochure Engineered Wood in School Design, case studies of schools built using wood, and AF&PA's Green Building Fact Sheets. The timing of her presentation was ideal: the architects are just now beginning to consider which building materials to use for the school. Preliminary designs call for the school buildings to have a contemporary, high-tech look. Most likely, the new Science and Technology Academy will be a raised structure, due to site conditions and a heightened awareness throughout this suburban New Orleans parish of the importance of flood protection. The architects also expressed an interest in green building and understand the limitations of LEED with regard to wood construction.

Research Demo House Update

For nearly six years, the research demonstration house built on the grounds of the USDA’s Forest Products Laboratory (FPL) in Madison, Wisconsin, has served many purposes. Primarily a research tool for FPL scientists working on the latest wood technology projects, the house is also a showcase for wood products. Recently, several new research projects have been launched. An elaborate handicap-access ramp has been built at the entrance to the home. The multi-level ramp is built using nine different preservative-treated woods, four composites of wood and plastic, and three naturally decay-resistant species. It now serves as a long-term durability project, offering definitive performance criteria over time for the most commonly used decking materials. Inside the home, FPL is working in cooperation with Syracuse University to measure air pressure, temperature, and relative humidity inside the wall cavities. The study includes state-of-the-art instrumentation engineered by FPL researchers to supply field measurements of moisture and airflow in the wall cavities. Another ongoing project at the house involves a rainwater harvesting system that supplies filtered water to the washing machine and one toilet. To date, more than 5,000 people have toured the four-bedroom, 2300 square-foot home, a cooperative project of the Southern Pine Council and APA-The Engineered Wood Association. To schedule a group tour, contact FPL at 608/231-9200, or online at www.fpl.fs.fed.us.

Sawdust to Ethanol?

Responding to increased demand for alternative energy sources, a new plant design for converting pine sawdust to fuel-grade ethanol is being studied by researchers at the University of Southern Mississippi (USM). The research team has constructed a model ethanol plant, demonstrating the production process. The next step is to build a pilot facility to study the economic feasibility of a commercial plant. USM Professor Roger Hester has been studying ethanol production for more than 20 years. He’s convinced that this project will promote the state’s economic future, since it produces four million tons of wood waste each year that could be used for ethanol production. "If we converted 10% of this waste, we would get some 26 million gallons of ethanol annually," Hester notes. "We could supply about 20% of Mississippi’s fuel demands using our own resources," he adds.

In a related development, the State of New York has awarded grants of up to $25.2 million for two companies to develop and build pilot commercial ethanol facilities. The state grants are being matched by the two companies. Using ongoing research at several state universities, the two plants will use wood chips. Studies indicate that less energy is required to make cellulosic ethanol than to produce ethanol from corn. Though several other pilot facilities to make ethanol from wood waste exist, the only commercially viable production facility in operation is in Ottawa, Canada.

Sawmill Assessment Form

REMINDER: The annual Sawmill Assessment survey form is now available. If you have not received a questionnaire in the mail, you can download a PDF at www.sfpa.org. You can also contact SFPA’s Wade Camp, 504/443_4464 ext. 217, or wcamp@sfpa.org to obtain the questionnaire. Deadline is April 27.

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