FPInnovations supports the Québec Wood Charter

Innovative usage of wood supported by R&D institute

QUÉBEC, May 3, 2013 /CNW Telbec/ - FPInnovations supports the Québec Wood Charter announced by the Minister of Natural Resources, Mme Martine Ouellet, and the Minister of Labour, Minister of Employment and Social Solidarity, and Minister responsible for the Status of Women, Mme Agnès Maltais. Created with a view to increasing wood construction in Québec, the charter will support the use of the material in publicly financed projects and provide for the construction of 5- and 6-storey wooden residential buildings that respect the requirements of the Régie du bâtiment du Quebec using soon-to-be published design guidelines produced by FPInnovations' experts. This positions Québec alongside British Columbia as a North American leader in the use of wood as a structural building material.

"The leadership demonstrated by this government will create the conditions favourable to innovation in the expanding field of wood building engineering while contributing to regional economic development and reducing greenhouse gas emissions," stated the President and CEO of FPInnovations, Pierre Lapointe. "As a world-class research institute for the Canadian forest sector with significant expertise in the area of advanced building systems, we support the government's vision and will continue to work closely with the Régie du bâtiment du Québec and the Ministry of Natural Resources to make this vision a reality."

The announcement by the Québec government to permit the construction of 5- to 6-storey wooden residential buildings opens a large market for both the primary and secondary solid wood industry. As cities face problems related to urban spread and increases in greenhouse gases, the use of wood in residential construction will become an important element of a sustainable solution.

Research has shown that wood is a safe, economic and environmentally sound structural material in the construction of mid-rise residential and public buildings. Compared to other building materials, wood is a sustainable natural resource and has been shown to have a small environmental footprint due in large part to its capacity to trap carbon dioxide, a gas that contributes significantly to climate change, and due to the relatively low amount of energy required to harvest and transform trees into a final solid wood product. As such, the construction of 5- to 6-storey residential buildings will enable the densification of cities, thereby reducing urban spread, while using a natural material that helps reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

About FPInnovations
FPInnovations is a not-for-profit world leader that specializes in the creation of scientific solutions in support of the Canadian forest sector's global competitiveness and responds to the priority needs of its industry members and government partners. It is ideally positioned to perform research, innovate, and deliver state-of-the-art solutions for every area of the sector's value chain, from forest operations to consumer and industrial products. FPInnovations' staff numbers more than 525. Its R&D laboratories are located in Québec City, Ottawa, Montréal, Thunder Bay, Hinton and Vancouver, and it has technology transfer offices across Canada. For more information about FPInnovations, visit: www.fpinnovations.ca.

SOURCE: FPInnovations

Terry Knee
FPInnovations
Communications Director
514 630-4115
[email protected]