Green Hammer touts top-to-bottom FSC wood

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Green Hammer built this Southeast Portland addition using 100 percent FSC-certified wood. (Photo by T.S. Whalen)

Green Hammer announced Thursday that two of its Portland residential building projects will be completed use 100 percent Forest Stewardship Council-certified wood. The company believes them to be the first projects in the country to be built using sustainably harvested wood from top to bottom.

The Forest Stewardship Council, a Minneapolis-based nonprofit that rewards environmentally friendly forest management practices by certifying that wood and wood products have passed muster with their stringent requirements.

Green Hammer became the first builder to join the FSC last year.

Also in 2010, Green Hammer completed work on a live-work addition in Sellwood for Brian Kirkpatrick and Bettina von Hagen. It features FSC-certified wood throughout and was featured in the City of Portland's "Build it Green" tour last month.

Green Hammer is also working on single-family home in Northeast Portland that will also use 100 percent FSC-certified wood.

That project called for joists that previously has been unavailable with a FSC label. Green Hammer officials said Parr Lumber was able to source the joists from Boise Cascade making the full frame of the home — scheduled to be complete next year — FSC-certified.

Both the home and the addition were also built to "Passive" house standards, which call for air-tight construction and maximum energy efficiency.

"We are trying to set an example for the entire building community, saying 'This is the effect you can have,'" said Stephen Aiguier, president of Green Hammer. "I’m not the only one out there, but I believe it’s my responsibility that we do take a stand when we can."

FSC certification is the wood certification recognized by the LEED green building certification program.

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