EXPO 2009

June 11-13, 2009

in New Orleans

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March 6, 2009

Expo Going Green

Expo 2009 – already considered a top forest products industry trade show – can add another feather to its cap. The show is going “green.” SFPA took a number of steps to make Expo environmentally friendly.  “Our promotional materials are available online, which greatly reduces the resources used for printed literature,” said Expo Director Eric Gee. “Badge-holders for exhibitors and attendees are made of a biodegradable corn-based plastic product with recycling for the holders available on-site. Our vendors and contractors incorporate green business strategies into their daily operations; and registration and lead retrieval services are totally paperless.”

Logistical and transportation options available in host city New Orleans also help minimize the environmental impact of large events and crowds. “New Orleans is one of the most walkable convention cities in the country, which greatly reduces emissions from motor vehicles,” Eric said. Morial Convention Center, the site of Expo 2009, is also a model of energy efficiency, incorporating the latest green technologies and practices into all phases of its operations. The fleet of shuttle buses moving attendees to and from the convention center is even powered by high-tech low-emission engines. “We’re taking every step possible to eliminate waste and its impact on the environment,” Eric said.  “Not only is our event a premiere showcase for the forest products industry, it will also be a trendsetter in hosting a green show.”

SFPA’s 30th Forest Products Machinery & Equipment Exposition takes place June 11-13. For more information, visit www.sfpaexpo.com or contact Eric at 504/443-4464, ext. 214, or by e-mail at egee@sfpa.org.

SFPA Promotes Decking, Raised Floors at Events

SFPA staff continues to make the rounds at trade shows and conferences to promote Southern Pine, raised floor systems and treated decking. Richard Kleiner, director of treated markets, presented two sessions on the “code-compliant use of pressure-treated lumber” to about 120 architects, engineers and builders at a Wood Solutions Fair in Raleigh, N.C. last week. He also showcased Southern Pine treated decking from an exhibit at the fair.

Senior Director of Engineered and Framing Markets Cathy Kaake, meanwhile, represented the Southern Pine Council with an exhibit at the National Frame Building Association’s Frame Building Expo in Nashville. She reports the Southern Pine literature was quite popular with attendees, especially the span tables and information about the latest preservatives for pressure-treated wood. “Southern Pine is the primary species used in the post-frame market because of its strength and treatability,” she said.

This week, Richard promoted raised floors from an exhibit at the Building Officials of Louisiana Annual Conference in New Orleans. He and local builder Toni Wendel also hosted about 30 officials for a reception at the Pontalba House, a New Orleans home built by Toni and sponsored by SPC to demonstrate green building techniques, termite-resistance and flood protection. For more information, contact Richard at 504/443-4464, ext. 211, or Cathy at ext. 213. Richard’s e-mail address is rkleiner@sfpa.org, and Cathy can be reached at ckaake@sfpa.org.

LEED Loses a Little Ground

Though still the front-runner, LEED may be losing a little of its prominence in the green building arena. A recently released survey analyzed the opinions of more than 900 professionals involved in green building and LEED certifications and their attitudes toward green building, its risks, costs, certification processes and trends, reports a story on Earth911.com. While 93.4% of participants agreed it is worth the time and effort to incorporate green building concepts, the percentage of those agreeing it is worth obtaining official LEED certification dropped almost 10% from the previous year to 66.2%. The article reports the survey identified several potential reasons for the results, including increased competition from other certification programs. Click here for the full story.

Former Long-Sullivan Winner Elected to AIA Fellowship

The recipient of the Southern Pine Council’s 2007 Long-Sullivan Award – architect Kevin Harris of Baton Rouge, La. – is among those recently elevated to the American Institute of Architects College of Fellows. A longtime proponent of Southern Pine products, Kevin served as technical advisor during the creation of the SPC’s raised floor program and contributed to SPC’s Raised Floor Systems Design and Construction Guide. He continues to work with SPC on projects such as creating designs for raised floor homes for use by developers and individual homeowners.

“I would like to thank all of the wonderful individuals at SFPA for all of their support and encouragement of my work over the past decade,” Kevin says.  “You recognized the importance and benefits of raised foundations years before Hurricane Katrina made it painfully obvious to the entire country. I am proud to have had the pleasure of working with SFPA and must credit my elevation to fellowship in part to the amplified national voice afforded my message about the benefits homeowners can tap into by engaging an architect on their projects.”

AIA’s Fellowship program was developed to elevate architects who have made a significant contribution to architecture and society and who have achieved a standard of excellence in the profession. Election to fellowship not only recognizes the achievements of architects as individuals, but also their significant contribution to architecture and society on a national level. This year’s Fellows will be honored during the 2009 AIA National Convention.

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