AUBURN, CA — A new guidebook distributed by The Forest Foundation, The Wood User's Guide to Green Building, details the important role wood plays in reducing greenhouse gas emissions, underscores the energy efficiency of wood and shows how well wood rates when compared to other primary building materials, according to Business Wire. The booklet outlines the benefits of building with wood, including scientific data that shows how wood outperforms steel and concrete across a range of environmental performance criteria.

“Wood is truly the only building material that is renewable, recyclable and biodegradable,” said Robert Mion, marketing director for The Forest Foundation. “This green building guide is an important resource for everyone, particularly as people try to make more environmentally sensitive decisions.”

The guide provides an overview of various green building rating systems and independent sustainable forestry certification programs, as well as briefly describes some general characteristics of the many green rating systems in use today. It focuses primarily on the steps California is taking in developing its green building programs, and also addresses the familiar LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) ratings set by the U.S. Green Building Council and the Green Globe ratings as developed by the Green Building Initiative.

The Wood Users Guide to Green Building can be viewed on-line at www.calforestfoundation.org or can be received by contacting The Forest Foundation at (866) 241-8733 while quantities last.

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