MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. - Dovetail Partners, a Minneapolis-based environmental think tank, will present at the 2016 Midwest Wood Solutions Fair in Minneapolis, Minnesota on March 23. Wood Solutions Fairs are hosted by WoodWorks across various regions of the U.S. to provide information and insights on the use of wood in non-residential and multi-family buildings. There is no registration fee for the one-day event, walk-ins are welcome, and continuing education credits are available.

Jim Bowyer, Dovetail's Program Director for Responsible Materials, will present a seminar titled "Carbon Implications of Construction Material Selection". This presentation will focus on the objective of minimizing carbon emissions associated with building construction and operation. The carbon implications of building material selection will be examined, using examples of real world projects and material comparisons to illustrate the extent to which a building's carbon footprint is influenced by the construction materials used. Emissions linked to buildings will be discussed in the larger context of carbon and climate, with consideration of the current vs. historical situation, tools for assessing carbon liberation, carbon equivalency, fossil vs. atmospheric carbon, CO2sequestration, and implications of potential carbon regulation for materials selection and building design.

The seminar will be presented twice, during morning and afternoon sessions. The Fair is free to attend and geared towards architects, engineers, developers, code officials and anyone with an interest in design possibilities for wood in the built environment.

In addition to his role at Dovetail, Bowyer is professor emeritus, University of Minnesota Department of Bioproducts and Biosystems Engineering, and President of Bowyer and Associates, Inc. a consulting firm focused on helping organizations improve environmental performance. Dr. Bowyer earned a BS degree in forest management from Oklahoma State University (1964), a MS in forest products from Michigan State University (1966), and a PhD in wood science in technology from the University of Minnesota (1973). He has also published widely on the topics of wood and fiber science, bioenergy, life cycle assessment, green building standards, global raw material trends, and environmental policy and is a frequent speaker nationally and internationally on these topics.

The 2016 Midwest Wood Solutions Fair will take place in Minneapolis, MN at the Minneapolis Convention Center on Wednesday March 23rd from 8:00am-5:00pm CST. For registration and agenda, visit: www.woodworks.org/education-event/2016-midwest-wsf-minneapolis/