Furfurylated Wood: A Green Alternative to Tropical Hardwoods

Registration Eligibility

Landscape architects

Start Date

04/05/2021

End Date

12/31/2021

Description

Overview
Tropical hardwoods are in jeopardy due to clear cutting and illegal logging practices. Their destruction poses a huge threat to the rainforest and the Earth's atmosphere. The building industry demands long lasting and environmentally friendly wood products to take pressure off of these valuable resources. In the
last two decades, modified wood sciences have emerged as a viable alternative to tropical hardwoods. This course will discuss those sciences, namely Furfurylation, a sustainable method of changing the physical characteristics of fast growing wood to resemble tropical hardwood.

Distance Learning

Yes

Course Equivalency

Subjects

Residential Design
Sustainable Development & Design

Health, Safety and Welfare

Hours

1.0

Learning Outcomes

1. Understand wood as a high performing and sustainable building material that increases quality
of life and improves the health of the planet.
2. Differentiate between the different types of wood modification sciences
(furfurylation, acetylation and thermal).
3. Understand the similarities and differences between Tropical Hardwoods and Furfurylated Wood.
4. Describe key environmental benefits of Furfurylated wood.
5. Describe the durability, appearance, dimensional stability, and strength of Furfurylated wood.
6. Identify appropriate applications, uses and installation methods for Furfurylated wood.

Instructors

Joanna Olmstead

Course Codes

Provider

Kebony North America