CoHousing development—is it sustainable? Kathleen O’Brien thought maybe; I think yes. Yes because CoHousing offers another scale of social organization—an intermediate scale between the single family and the town or municipality—thereby expanding the palette of technologies that can be applied. It does this simply by being a... Read more

On November 25th, international delegates in Copenhagen, Denmark, completed negotiations on a second major revision to the Montreal Protocol for the phaseout of ozone-depleting substances. Under the Copenhagen Amendments, the schedule for eliminating CFCs is moved up to January 1, 1996, four years ahead of the schedule... Read more

Representatives of the timber industry and environmental groups are hopeful that a Pacific Northwest timber summit, promised by Clinton during his campaign, will settle issues that have long polarized loggers and environmentalists in efforts to protect jobs and old-growth forests. The summit is expected in March or April.

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In recent months we've seen increasing signs that timber interests and environmentalists are beginning to talk. After years of finger-pointing and scapegoating, some serious, constructive communication is long overdue. In the words of Tim Lovlien, a voice of reason from Boise Cascade, “anytime you open the forum to discuss the issue, it’s... Read more

Andrew St. John, Editor. Boston Society of Architects, 52 Broad St., Boston, MA 02109; 617/951-1433 x221, 617/951-0845 (fax), $25.

The Sourcebook for Sustainable Design is a true labor of love. It is the first attempt we know of at a comprehensive listing of products and materials that are useful,... Read more

Non-exposed Wood

Boron has long been recognized as an effective and very safe pesticide in wood. In part, it effectiveness comes from its ability to diffuse freely throughout the wood, thus protecting even the center of large timbers, which are not affected by pressure treating. Unfortunately, the diffusability... Read more

While expanded polystyrene (EPS) is the only type of rigid foam insulation that is currently made with neither CFCs nor HCFCs, it has one environmental drawback: pentane emissions during manufacturing. EPS is produced by expanding styrene beads using pentane gas, a hydrocarbon that contributes to... Read more

Steve Loken has been building houses and enjoying the Montana wilderness for fifteen years. In the mid-’80s, Steve began to see a conflict. The forests he so enjoyed were disappearing, the houses going up were getting bigger and bigger, and the lumber they had available to them was getting worse and worse. Out of that realization grew the idea... Read more

In October, 1871, in small barn on Chicago’s Southwest Side, Mrs. O’Leary’s cow kicked over a kerosene lantern. The tinder-dry wood-frame building ignited in a fire that destroyed half of Chicago. Devastating fires were not new to our nation, but this was exceptional. Something had to be done. We had to begin building structures... Read more

As the plight of forests gets more attention, the number of groups and organizations that have taken on the task of certifying sustainable forestry practices has multiplied. With this proliferation, a need has emerged to coordinate the different certification efforts and establish... Read more

By Dorothy Mackenzie; Rizzoli International Publications, Inc., 300 Park Avenue South, New York, NY 10010. 176 pages, hardcover. $35.

Design for the Environment by Dorothy Mackenzie is a gallery of environmental design solutions, mostly from Europe. The book covers an extremely broad range of topics, including building design,... Read more

Trus Joist MacMillan, makers of the Silent Floor™ framing system, have just introduced a rim joist made especially for use with that system. The new product is made from a new type of manufactured lumber called Timberstrand LSL™ (Laminated Strand Lumber), which is basically a next-generation, high-end... Read more

The Toronto City Council has just approved in principal a proposal to coordinate a massive energy and water conservation program. Viewed as a way to create jobs for the city’s ailing construction sector, the plan calls for investments averaging $14,000 per unit on 75% of the city’s 280,000... Read more

By Jim Broadstreet; Loompanics Unlimited, Box 1197, Port Townsend, WA 98368. 162 pages, hardcover, $19.95.

Building With Junk is an excellent guide for owner/builders who are trying to build an affordable and interesting home for themselves using recycled or used materials. It provides ideas for sources of scrounged materials, methods... Read more

Sustainably harvested wood resources just took a giant leap forward with the first certified sustainably produced plywood. Springfield Forest Products of Springfield, Oregon, and Trus Joist MacMillan provided materials for the roof of an environmental prototype store in Lawrence, Kansas. The store... Read more