Responsible Sources: FSC® Certified Timber

Sustainability Certifications for timber building products

Sustainability is one of the top drivers when specifying architectural products today. And the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) is the internationally recognised, independent ‘green’ standard when it comes to timber.

When you see FSC Certification, you know the timber you are specifying is responsibly managed as it passes along the supply chain:

  • from FSC Certified forests and recycled timber yards,
  • to FSC Chain of Custody (CoC) certified importers and suppliers like us.

Increase your Greenstar/Homestar score

For specifiers and building owners, FSC® certified products count towards your building’s Green Star or Homestar ratings. The NZ Green Building Council (NZGBC) want to see responsible product choices in commercial and residential buildings. And so every time you specify products that are environmentally preferable, you increase your building’s final ‘green’ score.

Not only that, FSC® certification also means products are socially beneficial and economically viable. That’s good for people as well as the planet.

Recycled and new timbers

Certified products can be sourced from managed forests and from recycled timber yards. VidaSpace stocks both options. Our FSC Certified timbers include the following Ranges: VidaPlank Oak, VidaPlank Douglas Fir, Hand Grade, The Italian Collection, PurePlank Shinnoki, VidaGroove Wall + Ceiling, VidaGroove Slats & VIdaGroove Reclaimed.

PurePlank is a range of pre-finished, 14mm engineered plank for designer walls and floors. We source them from an established FSC certified European mill, who maintain in-house control of all aspects to ensure consistent deliveries of quality timber, in small or large volumes. They source timbers such as ash, larch and oak from FSC approved sustainable forests across Europe.

Our Reclaimed timbers are reclaimed from post-consumer sources such as old barns in North America and Europe. The wood is carefully recovered, then crafted into designer wall panelling. FSC Certification recognises the important role of reclaimed wood in the timber supply chain. And our CoC certification assures that VidaSpace reclaimed products are the genuine article.

FSC benefits in the forest

  • Wildlife habitat and species are protected.
  • High conservation value forests are preserved.
  • Forest management is monitored annually.
  • Worker safety and well-being is enhanced.
  • The rights of indigenous peoples are respected.
  • Communities are respected and valued.
  • Waterways are protected.
  • Pesticide use is reduced.

Source: Forest Stewardship Council®

Timber reduces greenhouse gases

While specifying recycled or reclaimed timbers is good environmentally, so is specifying timber from managed forests.

  • Harvested timber stores carbon throughout its life.
  • Every cubic metre of wood flooring contains 5kg of carbon.
  • The market for wood provides an economic incentive to preserve and replant.
  • The production and processing of wood is highly energy-efficient: every cubic metre of wood used as a substitute for other building materials reduces CO2 emissions by, on average, 1.1 tonnes.

Environmental responsibility

Our FSC and CoC certification gives specifiers, clients and end users assurance of the legality and legitimacy of our FSC timber supply and compliance with government procurement regulations. It demonstrates that we meet the strict tracking requirements for FSC timber products, and that our products come from well-managed forests.

The Global FSC® Certificate Database contains information on both Forest Management and Chain of Custody certificates. Our certificate code is SGSHK-COC-510010.

Look for the certification on each product’s Technical Data Sheets – available for download on the relevant product pages.

Or contact our team today with your specific requests on 0800 119 388 or email hello@vidaspace.co.nz

VidaSpace FSC Certification for Timber Finishes

Learn more about Vidaspaces' sustainability goals

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