Wood, a natural resource is a basic component of joinery. These days
companies involved in joining and carpentry are including environmental
programme in place. Sustainable joinery is about sustainable supply. The first
step here is finding suppliers whose own environmental policies ensure that
your wood is not impacting in an adverse way on the environment.
Organisations like Forests Forever ensure that trees are planted to
replace the trees felled for the industry. As such material sourcing is the key.
Whenever wood and materials are sourced from more than one country, as is often
the case with joinery and carpentry, it is important then to make sure that the
suppliers in each country operates within the laws of that country.
The Forest Stewardship Council or FSC is a key body in this area. The
FSC independently inspects any forest from where timber is taken and certifies
the forest as being sustainably managed. This certifies the wood an
accreditation increasingly required by many customers, which in turn has made
the industry itself still more environmentally conscious.
Higher end joinery companies make serious efforts, at the very least, to
match the legal requirements in all countries from which they source their
timber. In actual fact many of the best respected joinery companies in the UK
are making an effort to surpass the legal requirements for sustainable sourcing
and forestry. These companies ensure that the whole level of industry is steadily
focussing on growing sustainable sourcing.
It’s important to note that timber and wood products are themselves very
energy efficient. Properly sourced, they require very little in the way of
energy to prepare and are extremely thermally efficient when they are
installed.
Good quality joinery also has another sustainable facet to it. By using
properly treated and prepared wood, which rejects moisture and retains its
strength for decades, if not longer, customers are able to have installations
done only once, rather than having it repeatedly. Properly prepared and
assembled joinery will last for a lifetime meaning that replacement materials
should rarely be required. An industry that builds to last, rather than
building to be replaced in a few years, is an industry that truly understands
the concept of sustainability.
Wood is a beautiful substance to look at. With the environmental
governance of bodies like the FSC controlling the industry, it’s once again
possible to look at a new joinery installation and feel that it is as
harmonious with the environment as it appears to be.
Modern joining and carpentry is often used in conservatories, orangeries
and other add-ons to existing homes. Using exposed timberwork and modern glass
you can design and build a structure of great beauty with an element of
tradition combined with a more modern feel thanks to the glazing. Timberwork
also forms the basis for roof lanterns, which are a wonderful way to allow
natural light into a previously dim space and can make glorious talking points
in their own right, while providing dramatic views of the sky at day and night.
Modern joinery is as environmentally conscious as it is long lasting.
Thus, a perfect combination of beauty and reliability.
Author Bio:
The above article is composed and edited by Irene Simpson. She is
associated with many Home and Garden communities as their freelance writer and
adviser. In her free time she writes articles related to orangery, joinery, conservatory designs and
many more.
