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April 5, 2007

Southern Pine Perfect for Building Green

The Southern Pine Council teamed up with APA – The Engineered Wood Association – and the Canadian Wood Council to promote North America’s sustainable building products at a recent NAHB National Green Building Conference held in St. Louis. Nearly 1,000 attendees crowded the downtown Adam’s Mark hotel for the three-day conference.

A diverse selection of sessions educated attendees on the business aspects of building green, p Eric Gee with Linda McPhee (left) of the Canadian Wood Council and APA's Marilyn LeMoine rovided a look at green projects and products and offered lectures from green building pioneers. "The event is somewhat like our Wood Solutions Fairs," said SFPA EXPO and Forest Resources Director Eric Gee, who represented SPC at the conference. "The attendees walk the exhibit floor during the breaks between educational sessions, quickly gathering information. Fortunately, builders recognize Southern Pine as a sustainable wood product, and we didn’t get any challenges from them on the compatibility of Southern Pine with green building projects."

Eric reports this year’s conference showed significant growth compared to the 2006 show held in Albuquerque. That growth is expected to continue with next year’s show, which will be held in New Orleans.

Softwood Market Outlook Available

SFPA’s Softwood Market Outlook to 2009, released last week, offers both good and bad news. The good news: offshore imports could gradually exit the U.S. market; the U.S. West faces narrowing margins and could lose market share to the South over the next two years; and plentiful timber across the South will help alleviate log costs through 2010 and ultimately lower sawmill costs, which should attract capacity growth during the next few years.

Now here’s the bad news: additional softwood lumber supply is vulnerable through 2007 and demand will not be strong enough to consume supply at a rate that supports real price increases until Spring 2008.

The nine-page Outlook helps SFPA members, market analysts and decision-makers better understand demand trends and supply response. It describes trends in softwood lumber supply and demand over the next two years by segment, including residential construction, residential repair and remodeling, non-residential and industrial end-use markets with exports and imports. A printable PDF copy is available in the "Members Only" section of SFPA’s Web site at www.sfpa.org or by contacting Wade Camp, SFPA’s director of economic services, at 504/443-4464, ext. 217 or by e-mail at wcamp@sfpa.org.

Build Right for Wind, Flood

Building inspectors from Mississippi’s hurricane-prone Gulf Coast gained insight into the wind and flood resistance of wood frame construction at a seminar in Gulfport last week. SFPA’s Cathy Kaake, director of engineering and framing markets, and Bryan Reading of APA presented the seminar, which focused on the Wood Frame Construction Manual for 130 mph wind, published by AF&PA.

Cathy explained that grade and size of framing members and sheathing are only marginally different when designing for wind and flood resistance and that the biggest difference is the use of engineered fasteners to maintain a continuous load path from a building’s roof through its foundation. She also showed participants how to use Southern Pine Council span tables to meet 130 mph wind requirements.

"Wood is the primary material for residential construction in the Gulf Coast, but other materials are trying to come into the market, so it’s important that we communicate that wood frame construction can perform in high wind and flood hazard areas," Cathy said.

Seminar organizer Norbord Inc. plans to sponsor additional events in other at-risk coastal areas.

Sawmill Surveys Due Soon

Those who haven’t already done so are encouraged to complete and return the sixth annual Southern Pine Sawmill Assessment by April 27. Compiled results will give Southern Pine sawmillers useful operational and financial benchmarks for 2006. Download the questionnaire at www.sfpa.org or contact SFPA’s Wade Camp at wcamp@sfpa.org.

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