Homebuilder uses only certified wood

Portland-based Green Hammer in January announced that it became the first builder in the nation to receive Chain of Custody (CoC) certification from the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC). The certification means that all of the wood used in the homes the company builds is certified to FSC standards.

The company uses FSC-certified lumber as much as possible because it is the best method of assuring the sustainability of forests, according to Stephen Aiguier, president and owner of Green Hammer.  Using FSC wood exclusively in Green Hammer's projects is a way to be more transparent for his clients because most green builders don't think about where their wood is sourced, he says.

Aiguier also says he hopes it will increase demand for certified wood by pushing more builders to get certified, which will drive more mills to certification, bringing the price of FSC lumber down. Using FSC-certified timber adds about 2 percent, or about $6,000, to the cost of one of Green Hammer's homes. Compared with a ground source heat pump, which can cost as much as $30,000, it's a bargain, Aiguier says.

“It's a matter of relativity, but in affordable housing, every penny counts,” he says.

FSC wood will always have a price premium, according to Corey Brinkema, president of FSC-U.S., because there is an extra cost to managing forests to the standard. But the certification brings value to builders and suppliers because it differentiates them from the rest.

“FSC is growing and succeeding in such a horrible, horrible marketplace,” he says. “It's that niche that is one a builder, a supplier or a forest landowner can use to differentiate themselves.”