Course info

This course is intended for professional architects and engineers who desire to improve their knowledge of the sustainability of using wood as a building material in comparison with other substitutable products. While ecosystems, supply chains, and building materials are complex, using natural, renewable products represents a simple decision with considerable environmental benefits.

This course aims to provide you with a detailed overview of the environmental benefits of using wood products, including impacts on forest ecosystems.

By the end of the course, you will be able to do the following:

• Deepen the understanding of the environmental impacts of wood as a building material in relation to possible substitutable materials with a focus on atmospheric carbon, the primary driver of climate change.
• Examine the impacts of North American timber harvesting on forest health, forest resilience, and sustainability measures such as biodiversity, soil and water quality, and harvest yield versus net growth.
• Evaluate the use of wood as a construction material in the context of long-term forest sustainability as well as attributes such as low embodied energy, light carbon footprint, and incentives to landowners.
• Compare the carbon benefits of unmanaged lands and managed forests where timber is harvested for wood building products.