Green Product Category: Outdoor Structures

Outdoor structures include freestanding built items such as fences, tables, benches, planters, and playground equipment, as well as other items that are installed or used outdoors, such as exterior sun-shade systems. Green criteria for products in this category include durability, low maintenance, and recycled content.

Recycled composites, sustainably harvested woods

Prefabricated site furniture, landscaping timbers, fencing, and other outdoor products made with recycled plastic and wood-plastic composite lumber are available from many sources.

• Recycled-plastic and wood-plastic composites are more durable than wood, require less maintenance, and make use of materials that might otherwise end up in landfills.
• Products made with durable, rot-resistant hardwoods certified by the Forest Stewardship Council, such as Ipé, can also be a good choice. (Certification from the Forest Stewardship Council—FSC—means that the wood has been sustainably harvested from well-managed resources.)
• Architectural trellises can contribute to reduced solar gain, improved light quality in buildings, and increased comfort for outdoor spaces. They also are visually appealing. Combined with quick-growing seasonal vines, trellises can offer solar benefit in winter and solar shading in summer.
• For aquatic applications such as docks and pilings, avoid treated wood in favor of recycled plastic, which is impervious to marine borers and will not leach toxic chemicals. Though generally somewhat more expensive than treated wood, they will last longer—an important consideration when calculating long-term costs, since wooden components need to be replaced more frequently.

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