 | ||
|
 |
|
| ||
Timber and the Environment | ||
|
The use of timber in construction has important environmental advantages, especially when compared with alternatives such as concrete, steel and plastics. Timber is natural, renewable, non-toxic, recyclable and biodegradable. As a building material, it provides excellent levels of natural thermal insulation. When sourced from independently-certified, well-managed forests, timber is the only natural building material of choice.
|
Timber Sourcing | ||||||||||||
|
We take great care when choosing softwoods to ensure the traceability and integrity of our products. All our timber is sourced from well-managed forests and supplied predominantly from Nordic countries, governed by strict environmental accreditation programmes. James Donaldson Timber and Donaldson Timber Engineering have been granted certification by BM TRADA, the leading multi-sector certification body accredited by UKAS (United Kingdom Accreditation Service). This covers the Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification (PEFC) Chain of Custody Scheme, and the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) Chain of Custody Scheme. To view the certificates, please click on a link below:
These accreditation awards confirm our commitment to sourcing from suppliers who have themselves achieved PEFC certification for their products.
|
Timber: A Renewable Resource | ||||
|
Sustainable forest management ensures that more trees are planted than are taken. This constant renewal means that forests never reduce in size. Careful measures are also taken to ensure that timber cultivation doesn't affect the natural flora and fauna of the forest environment. James Donaldson & Sons Ltd is committed to promoting and investing in timber as an environmentally-friendly alternative to other materials such as plastic, steel and concrete Timber is natural, renewable, non-toxic, recyclable and biodegradable. Timber waste is used in fuel for heating, animal bedding, and the manufacture of composite boards, such as chipboard and MDF. Compare these credentials with the other products. Metal manufacturing is energy intensive and adds to the levels of greenhouse gases. Concrete uses more resources than wood in its manufacture, has limited recycling applications and is not biodegradable. Plastics are a by-product of crude oil, a non-renewable resource, and manufacturing is energy intensive and often polluting. Please click on a link below for more information:
|
Timber Treatment | |
|
For many applications timber is treated in order to ward off insect and fungal attack. Such treatment leads to the long life cycle that has made timber one of the most reliable of construction materials. We use industry-leading, low-pressure impregnation treatment techniques to protect our timber and ensure the highest levels of consistency and dependability. We take great care when working with our supplier, Osmose, to ensure that treatments used comply with industry-leading standards for safety and performance.
|
Sustainable Housing | ||||
|
James Donaldson timber scores highly for sustainability, a key priority within the construction sector. The Government is committed to building more houses but also to reducing Co2 emissions. Sustainability in construction is therefore a key area of Government focus. The Sustainable Buildings Task Group, formed following the Better Buildings Summit, recommends a unified Code of Sustainable Building (CSB) based on the Building Research Establishment Environmental Assessment method (BREEAM), and its EcoHomes Guide, combined with the Green House Guide.
Timber from our sites - roofing timbers, materials for internal and external walls and floorings - all scores an A on the Green House Guide. These equate to three EcoHomes points per item, which can be used to demonstrate that new homes are environmentally friendly. Additional EcoHomes points are available by using timber certified under the Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification (PEFC) Chain of Custody Scheme, to which we are committed. Where such timber is used in the basic building elements, such as roof, joists and studs, a further six points can be claimed.
These developments along with the 2004 Barker Report, which recommends the building of hundreds of thousands of new homes in the South East of England, provide an unprecedented opportunity for the construction industry.
|
Corporate Data | Donaldsons & the Environment | Timber Engineering News
James Donaldson Timber News | Job Vacancies | Enquiries | Home Page