Page 64 - Green Builder Homeowner's Handbook 2016

The Homeowner’s Handbook SEVENTH EDITION

What Makes a Cabinet Green?

INSPIRATION FOR THIS IMAGE: CRYSTALCABINETS.COM KCMA Certification

Engineered Wood Veneer The Kitchen Cabinet Manufacturers Association has its own green certification
program called the Environmental Stewardship Program (ESP). As with any
As a surfacing option, thin wood veneer is industry self assessment, ESP certification should be used as a baseline to
considered green because it can be made from
younger growth trees or with leftover scraps identify green-minded companies, not a guarantee that a particular
from furniture factories. brand will meet all of your sustainability expectations. Keep in
mind that many companies that make sustainable
cabinetry and shelving do not pursue
KCMA certification.

Low-Impact Paint Certified Wood
or Stain Doors

To limit VOCs from paints The lumber used in doors
or stains, you have two and other parts of the
options: If you’re set on a cabinet box should come
hard, glossy enamel finish, from companies certified
the best bet is to have it by FSC, SFI or another
baked on at the factory, credible certifying
where it can fully offgass. organization.
For cabinets finished
onsite, low- or no-VOC,
water-based stains or
paints should be specified.

Moisture-Proof Feet Clean Core Materials

By putting metal or polymer feet on a cabinet, you keep it out The formaldehyde-bonded particleboard and
of harm’s way—more specifically, if a leak develops, moisture plywood often used for shelving is bad for indoor
wont have a chance to saturate the bottom panel, inviting air quality. New products include agrifiber panels
mold or mildew and shortening the life of the unit. (typically straw based), that use low-VOC binders
to replace formaldehyde glues.

The Importance of Certified Wood

Wood is a renewable resource, but in many places it has been As of this year, 250 million acres in the
harvested faster than it can regenerate, with little concern for U.S. and Canada are certified to the SFI
the natural ecosystems or human communities impacted standard. The SFI manages standards
by the logging. However, you’ve probably heard of “certified for Forest Management, Fiber Sourcing
wood.” This refers to lumber or products that contain wood and Chain-of-Custody certification;
fiber from sustainably managed forests. Globally, the area these standards were updated this year.
of certified forests has been rising steadily. Read more about the changes here:
http://bit.ly/1Mt2Hio
Wood products with certification labels have been vetted by third-party
organizations. The two certification programs you’re likely to encounter Cabinetry is just one category where certified wood is available, so
are those managed by the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) and the be sure to ask for certified wood for all aspects of your project, from
Sustainable Forestry Initiative (SFI). framing lumber and plywood to trim. Certified wood may cost 10 to
15 percent more—although the cost depends on availability and varies
The FSC certifies forests all over the world—380 million acres, to from region to region—but choosing it over lumber that isn’t certified
date. The standard includes provisions for protecting water quality, will help ensure forests, which are a key tool for fighting climate change,
prohibiting pesticide use and protect old-growth habitat, among others. stay intact and healthy.
Read more here: https://us.fsc.org