Press Release: 4/18/2008

Antigo, WI

Professor Bowe discusses the merits of Life-Cycle Inventory Studies

On March 29, 2008, Professor Scott Bowe of the University of Wisconsin presented at the Hardwood Manufacturer's Association's Annual Convention, in Savannah GA.  Dr.  Bowe was introduced by Troy Brown, President of Kretz Lumber Co., Inc. and President of the Hardwood Manufacturer's Association.  Bowe discussed two ongoing life-cycle inventory studies carried out by graduate students Rick Bergman and Steve Hubbard. The purpose of the life-cycle inventory study was to compare the entire environmental footprint left by manufacturing hardwood lumber and flooring. 

Bergman surveyed hardwood lumber producers in the eastern United States and estimated the environmental footprint of hardwood lumber production using a life-cycle inventory model.  Hubbard surveyed solid strip and plank hardwood flooring producers also in the eastern United States and produced a parallel model for flooring.  These studies are a part of a larger effort organized by the Consortium for Research on Renewable Industrial Materials (CORRIM) (http://www.corrim.org/).  The hardwood lumber module and the hardwood flooring module will ultimately be linked to a hardwood forest resource module, thereby creating a comprehensive inventory of the materials and energy required to produce these products from cradle (forest resource) to grave (final disposal of end product).

The results of the study conveyed by Dr. Bowe lead to favorable comparisons for hardwoods vs. other non-renewable substitute products.  In general, hardwood production has comparatively benign air emissions, comparatively less water consumption, comparatively less total primary energy use, long service life, renewable nature, and carbon neutral benefits; benefits not shared by non-wood substitutes.

For more information about these studies, contact Rick Bergman at This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it  and Steve Hubbard at This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it