Trend #3: A breath of fresh air

Indoor air quality is becoming a top priority for residential and commercial spaces

SPRINGFIELD, Ore. – For a country that values the great outdoors, Americans spend a lot of time indoors.

In response to this new awareness, building products manufacturers such as Timber Products Company, the leading producer of environmentally friendly hardwood plywood, are developing advanced materials that contribute to healthier indoor surroundings.

“Our goal is to be part of the air quality solution,” said Timber Products Vice President Roger Rutan. “Driven by consumers and new state regulations, the next 12 months will be a turning point for distributors and wood workers when it comes to indoor air quality.”

Green Scene
Improving indoor air quality will be a major focus in 2008, said Rutan, mainly because the sustainable building movement has introduced more people to the benefits of living and working in an efficient, healthy space. While most understand that energy efficiency will save money on monthly bills, air quality is the primary aspect of green building that deals with health.

The response from consumers has prompted cabinet companies and architects to take a closer look at indoor air quality and seek out new products that offer solutions. Timber Products has seen a rising interest in its new GreenT™ line of hardwood plywood, a main component used to make kitchen cabinets and architectural millwork. Because it is made with a special resin, GreenT™ does not release harmful emissions that according to the Environmental Protection Agency are the main cause of indoor air quality problems.

“Many builders, cabinetmakers and architects are focusing on the green movement to meet a growing demand, so they need products that support that customer need,” said Rutan. “Whatever level of sustainable building someone is trying to achieve, whether it’s air quality or certified materials, GreenT™ meets the strictest standards.”

States Limiting Formaldehyde
State regulations are also moving indoor air quality up the priority list. In April 2007 the California Air Resources Board (CARB) approved new regulations that limit formaldehyde levels in composite wood products. Other states are also considering similar legislation.

The first phase of CARB requirements take effect Jan. 1, 2009, and impact any company selling wood products in the state. Timber Products is already seeing many distributors, manufacturers and retailers taking steps toward compliance and transitioning to an inventory that meets CARB standards.

Distributors that carry GreenT™ have an advantage in knowing that every panel in the line contributes to indoor air quality, and meets CARB’s Phase I and Phase II emission requirements for 2009 and 2010. GreenT™ is available with a variety of core options, including MDF, veneer and particleboard. In addition, the line includes a panel with a hardwood face and decorative overlay back, two-sided decorative overlay panels, raw particleboard panels and particleboard door core panels.

“GreenT™ gives woodworkers flexibility and the assurance of knowing that all materials coming from Timber Products are certified to meet today’s stringent building standards,” said Rutan. “We know indoor air quality will continue to be a huge factor for homes and commercial buildings, so we’re ready to supply wood panels that help make these spaces more healthy.”

Contact: Gary Rubin, CMD, 503-488-4443, grubin@cmdagency.com

About Timber Products Company
Founded in 1918, Timber Products Company offers a wide range of diversified wood products and specializes in hardwood plywood. The company is one of the largest material suppliers to the U.S. kitchen cabinet industry. Timber Products owns nine state-of-the-art manufacturing facilities across the United States, a major international division, and 118,000 acres of forestland in Northern California managed under the strict standards of the Sustainable Forestry Initiative (SFI®) program. Timber Products was the world’s first hardwood plywood manufacturer authorized to carry the SFI label. The company also operates TP Trucking, a nationwide transportation division.