Highway Information
YVR
Weather
Fire Rating
Pine beetles kill forests, builders seek to use the wood
While the insect infestation continues, using the timber left behind is becoming easier
by Cathryn Atkinson
- pine is fine A Brackendale company installed wood panels made from pine-beetle-infected trees at
Page 3 of 3
While CLT is making waves on one Lower Mainland campus, it is the Okanagan College in Penticton that can claim the prize of first using pine-beetle kill wood as a stand-in for Forestry Stewardship Council-certified wood.
The Centre of Excellence in Sustainable Building Technologies and Renewable Energy Conservation, which opened in 2010, used pine beetle-kill wood for framing the building.
Building on the "ground zero" of the pine beetle outbreak, it was essential to find a way to use the wood in construction said Tim McLennan, the director of Kelowna operations with CEI Architecture. He said the pine-beetle wood holds the same quality as other woods if harvested quickly, and using it has supported forestry communities hit hard by the infestation.
The issue was meeting FSC standards with pine-beetle wood, which is clear cut, and that is a no-no, McLennan said. This meant negotiating with the International Living Building Institute, which accepted the wood as sustainable for the first time.
"The Okanagan is the most affected zone, basically. It's near and dear to our hearts here as a major socio-economic issue," McLennan said. "Using this wood is possible given what we've learned about it in the last few years. A lot of the framing and lumber now integrates pine-beetle lumber."
-
May 24, 2013, 2:05 PM
Task force formed to address long weekend mayhem
Locals frustrated by damage to village; police log 17 cases of mischief over one night More...
-
May 24, 2013, 2:00 PM
Crud 2 Mud kicks off Bike Park event season
Course to be announced at mandatory athlete meeting Sat. 6 p.m. at the GLC More...
-
May 24, 2013, 2:00 PM
Tourism Whistler holds board of director elections
Eight candidates were nominated for three positions on the Board More...
Latest in Environment
-
Bear Update: Breeding season pits need to protect young against need to secure mates
As a new black bear mother and cub sit in a tree, a young male stalks
- May 16, 2013
-
New temperature records set this weekend
Forecast calls for more sunshine and warm temperatures
- May 5, 2013
-
Experts analyze LNG proposal
Industry consultant and policy analyst share thoughts on Liquefied Natural Gas at Woodfibre
- May 2, 2013
- More »
More by Cathryn Atkinson
-
Learning the ropes top priority for new MLA Jordan Sturdy
Sturdy wins West Vancouver-Sea to Sky as Liberals win stunning victory
- May 16, 2013
-
Mountain language
- Feb 28, 2013
- More »
