Page 10 - Green Builder July-August 2018 Issue

Correction: Draft copy was mistakenly printed in these articles in the May/June issue. The corrected versions appear below and on page 9.

THE EVOLVING ROLE OF ASSOCIATIONS

APA -- The Engineered Wood Association CREDIT: APA ‡ THE ENGINEERED WOOD ASSOCIATION

There’s more to this trade group than mere handling of wood.

OR MORE THAN YEARS, APA – THE ENGINEERED WOOD ASSOCIATION – has focused
on helping the industry create structural wood products of exceptional strength, versatility and
reliability. Combining the research e†orts of scientists at APA’s 42,000-square-foot research
center with the knowledge gained from decades of ‘eld work and cooperation with its member
manufacturers, APA promotes new solutions and improved processes that bene‘t the entire industry.
APA is a nonpro‘t trade association that has grown and evolved with the engineered wood
industry. APA was founded in 1933 as the Douglas Fir Plywood Association, and was later
F recognized as the American Plywood Association. In 1994, APA changed its name to APA – The
Engineered Wood Association to better re—ect the range of products manufactured by APA members
and the international scope of the Association.
Its members are well-known manufacturers whose mills produce the majority of the structural wood panel
“APA takes a hands-on products made in North America, plus a host of engineered wood
approach to product and products, including glued laminated timber (glulam), wood structural FACTS
panels, wood I-joists and structural composite lumber.
assembly testing. Evaluating APA has a long and extensive history in building codes and
conditions that replicate real- standards development activities. It serves as the secretariat for the NUMBER OF MEMBERS: 172
standing committees of U.S. Product Standard PS 1 for Structural
world construction scenarios Plywood, the consensus softwood plywood standard, and Voluntary MEMBER BREAKDOWN: Engineered
often involves recreating Product Standard PS 2, the U.S. harmonized performance standard wood product mills in 23 states and
similar conditions, and then recognized under the U.S.-Canada Free Trade Agreement. APA has seven provinces
developed many performance standards over the years, including
using technology to induce plywood siding, wood structural panel and sheathing, glulam, wood HEADQUARTERS: Tacoma, WA
stress, de ne wea ness and I-joists, rim board, and cross-laminated timber (CLT). APA issues APA WEBSITE: www.apawood.org
identify critical design Product Reports designed to help manufacturers expedite market NUMBER OF ACTIVE SITES: N/A
entry of their products.
considerations. By repeatedly APA provides builders, designers and speci‘ers with a wealth of ROLE MODELS
performing these tests, we are information, from basic construction instructions to highly technical KEY SERVICES OFFERED: Development
of performance standards for building
data, for a variety of residential and commercial building applications.
able to provide credible, APA’s Help Desk, Resource Library, and ‘eld representatives provide products and tools; creation of product
de niti e guidance and a diverse range of support—from the basics of building structurally reports to help engineered wood product
manufacturers expedite market entry
instruction to builders, sound —oors, walls, and roofs to recommendations for complying of their goods; provide highly technical
with stringent energy and code requirements to special design
designers, and regulatory considerations for areas prone to extreme conditions, such as high educational resources to residential and
commercial building professionals;
officials on our wood product wind, seismic activity and moisture intrusion. free on-site consultancy services
APA and APA EWS trademarks are the manufacturer’s assurance
assemblies and their that the engineered wood product conforms to manufacturing and on the latest construction techniques
application in construction product performance standards shown on the trademark. The mark and code requirements pertaining to
engineered wood.
scenarios.” appears only on products manufactured by APA members committed
to APA’s rigorous program of quality inspection and testing. MISSION: APA has focused on helping the
Ed Elias, President, industry create structural wood products
of exceptional strength, versatility and
APA – The Engineered
reliability. Combining research efforts of
Wood Association APA scientists with knowledge gained from
decades of field work and cooperation with
member manufacturers, APA promotes new
solutions and improved processes that
benefit the entire industry.

8 GREEN BUILDER July/August 2018 www.greenbuildermedia.com

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