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Wood Education and Resource Center Update
 March 28, 2014 |
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Wood Education and Resource Center (WERC) Project Highlights
Local Impact of Woody Biomass Energy Projects: Quick Assessment Tools for Planners and Community Leaders
New York Farm Viability Institute (WERC Award Number 2011-DG-362)
The project resulted in the development of user friendly software tools to help planners, development officials, municipal leaders and other community leaders to evaluate proposed woody biomass-based energy projects and engage other community members concerning the measured impacts of increased use of woody biomass.
The Quick Assessment Tools use user-defined inputs combined with data from the U.S. Forest Service Forest and Inventory Analysis (FIA), Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the project location's state transportation agency (when available), IMPLAN multipliers, and the U.S. Census, to populate the tools with default values for harvest activities, air quality, traffic, and economic conditions. The tools then forecast the impact of implementing a proposed biomass-based energy project on the baseline data. The assessment tools are intended to produce reasonably accurate results of changes in harvest activities, air quality, traffic and economic conditions. The toolkit currently includes data for the New England states, New Jersey, New York, and Pennsylvania. Both the "Lite" version and "Full" version can be viewed and downloaded.
For additional information, contact Alice Brumbach, 607-316-3437.
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WERC's Woody Biomass Technical Assistance Team
Harvard Forest Dedicates New Biomass Heating Facility
Over the past 4 years the WERC Wood Energy Technical Assistance Team and Harvard Forest staff have worked on the implementation of a wood energy system that would provide heat and domestic hot water to this world-renown research facility in Petersham, MA. On January 22, 2014, Forest Service representatives including Steve Marshall, S&PF Cooperative Forestry Assistant Director, participated in the dedication ceremony for this system. The system uses woody biomass harvested from the forest to provide thermal energy to the research facility, offices, and dormitory buildings. Get more information on this project.
Wood Energy Options for Georgia State Prison
WERC Technical Assistance Team members are working with the the U.S. Forest Service Southern Region, the Georgia Forestry Commission, and the Georgia Bureau of Prisons to examine the option of using wood energy at a Georgia prison. A feasibility study is underway and a wood fired thermally led CHP system looks promising. More information on this project will be available in the next WERC update.
WERC Wood Energy Technical Assistance Team members will be participating in some upcoming conferences on the use of wood energy and woody biomass. These conferences include:
- Heat the Northeast: April 9-11, Portland, ME
- Heat the Midwest: April 29-May 1, Green Bay, WI
- Mid-Atlantic Biomass Heat & Power Conference: April 23-24, Gettysburg, PA
- Smallwood 2014: June 3-5, Rochester, MN
WERC Wood Energy Technical Assistance Team continues to work with Menominee Tribal Enterprises in Neopit, WI, on implementing a wood-fired combined heat and power project to serve their manufacturing facilities and dry kilns. Project financing is almost complete and implementation of the construction project is expected this spring. As currently configured the project is expected to cost just over $3.5 million and provide over $500,000 in annual operating savings. Project partners include the U.S. Forest Service, U.S. Department Agriculture Rural Development, U.S. Department of Energy, and Harris Bank.
For additional information, contact Lew McCreery, 304-285-1538.
Building with Wood: Jobs and the Environment
On March 18th, the White House Rural Council hosted a workshop titled, Building With Wood: Jobs and the Environment. It included architects, builders, designers, wood manufacturers, foresters, state officials, university leaders and representatives from across the Federal Government. Innovative and expanded use of wood products is already beginning to change the face of construction across the country, and USDA is undertaking efforts to support these advancements. Wood may be one of the world's oldest building materials, but it is now also one of the most advanced. Building stronger markets for innovative new wood products supports sustainable forestry, helps reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and puts rural America at the forefront of an emerging industry.
Get additional information, or contact Dave Atkins, 202-205-1382.
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Workshops
Profitable Firewood Processing Workshop
April 17, 2014
WERC Facilities, Princeton, WV
This educational and networking event will provide the firewood processing industry with the latest knowledge on processing, kiln drying, and marketing firewood. Get additional information or contact Harry Watt from North Carolina State University at 704-880-5034.
Heat the Northeast
April 9-11, 2014
Portland, ME
Join the region's largest biomass heating conference and expo by attending the 2014 Northeast Biomass Heating Expo, April 9-11, 2014, in Portland, ME. The sixth annual event unites a diverse audience from the biomass fuel, supply chain, developer, manufacturer, and government sectors, to break barriers and ground for biomass thermal and combined heat and power (CHP) systems.
Get additional information.
Urban Wood Utilization Webcast
April 15, 2014, 10:00 am to 12:00 pm Eastern
Focus will be on urban wood business clusters and regional activities.
To attend, connect by 10:00 am on April 15th. For telephone conference, use 888-844-9904, access code: 7578516.
Heating the Midwest with Renewable Energy
April 30 - May 1, 2014
Green Bay, WI
This event will bring together leaders of the woody and agricultural biomass industry interested in
supporting and expanding the use of biomass for heat and combined heat and power in the Midwest.
Get additional information.
2014 Small Wood Conference Forest Utilization and Management: From Working Woodlands to City Streets
June 3-5, 2014
Rochester, MN
Noted experts will unveil the latest information on forest watershed protection, infrastructure protection and forest restoration, landscape stewardship projects, urban forestry, natural disaster response, and emerald ash borer. Get additional information.
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Archived Webinars
LEED and Biomass Thermal Energy: How to get credits for your project
(November 6, 2013)
Biomass Thermal Energy Council hosted this webinar focused on how biomass thermal systems are addressed within the U.S. Green Building Council's LEED program. The webinar includes a description of eligible biomass thermal credits, special considerations, and two case studies of real world buildings using biomass thermal that took separate credit approaches. View the webinar.
Profitable Small Sawmill Workshop
(October 24, 2013)
This workshop focused on small sawmills and lumber drying operations that use gas engines, diesel engines, and single phase electric power. View workshop handouts and photos. For additional information, contact Harry Watt from North Carolina State University, 704-880-5034.
Profitably Drying Small Quantities of Lumber Workshop
(September 25-26, 2013)
This workshop demonstrated the use of a 900-board-foot conventional steam dry kiln using sample boards to monitor the drying process. Attendees learned how dry kilns work and how they can add profitability to a sawmill and/or wood processing operation. View workshop handouts and photos. For additional information, contact Harry Watt from North Carolina State University, 704-880-5034.
Quarterly Webcast and Conference Call on Ash-Urban Wood Utilization
(July 9, 2013)
This Webcast includes presentations on the Baltimore Carbon Challenge Design Competition; the evolution and potential for an urban log sorting yard in Baltimore, MD; an update on the Tree Care Industry Association's A300 ANSI draft standard for urban tree harvesting; and an update on sanitizing walnut logs infested with thousand cankers disease.
Creating and Expanding the Market for Black Ash Baskets in the Northeast
(June 19, 2013, WERC Award Number 2011-DG-109)
This Webcast provides an overview and results of a project funded with the Maine Indian Basketmakers Alliance. The project's primary focus was market-oriented activities to improve the market for high-value ash baskets.
Heat Treatment of Firewood and Logs Using Steam and Vacuum
(May 21, 2013, WERC Award Number 2011-DG-058)
This Webcast provides results of a study funded at the Virginia Tech Department of Sustainable Biomaterials to evaluate using a vacuum/steam treatment process for sanitizing firewood.
2012 Wood Industry Week @ WERC
(March 5-9, 2012)
View this series of workshops online. Topics include ROMI 4.0, enhancing economic competitiveness, developing new marketing strategies, mass customization, lean manufacturing, making effective use of technological advances, product costing, and small- and medium-sized enterprises in the U.S. wood products industry.
Biomass Thermal Energy Council's Educational Webinar Series (2010 to 2013)
A series of educational Webinars about emissions, combined heat and power, thermal markets, and advanced technologies, among others, were completed with the assistance of a WERC-sponsored grant.
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| Update on the Housing Market
From Urs Buehlmann, Virginia Tech Department of Wood Science.
Update on Wood Markets
From Don Deckard, Minnesota DNR Division of Forestry.
USDA Announces Support for Innovative, Sustainable Wood Building Materials to Protect Environment and Create Jobs
WASHINGTON, D.C., March 18, 2014 - At a meeting hosted by the White House Rural Council today, Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced a new partnership to train architects, engineers and builders about the benefits of advanced wood building materials, and plans for a forthcoming prize competition to design and build high-rise wood demonstration projects. Innovative use of wood products is already beginning to change the face of construction across the country, and USDA is undertaking efforts to support these advancements. These efforts also support President Obama's Climate Action Plan goal of preserving the role of forests in mitigating climate change.
EPA Green Building Webinar Series
EPA's Green Infrastructure Program is proud to announce the launch of our 2014 Webcast Series, beginning in January and continuing bi-monthly throughout the year. This series is generally geared towards public officials and practitioners just beginning to implement green infrastructure, as well as those looking to enhance established programs. Leading academics and professionals from around the country will cover a range of topics and applications, from best practices in operations and maintenance to the intersection of green infrastructure and climate change.
The webcasts are free to the public. Presentations from each webcast will be posted within one month. Please note that attendance certificates will not be provided.
Department of Defense Recognizes Green Globes for Assessing Building Sustainability
Following the lead of the General Services Administration (GSA), the Department of Defense (DoD) recently recognized Green Globes as an approved program for DoD facilities.
Hardwood Checkoff Program
The Hardwood Checkoff is an initiative led by a group of U.S. hardwood industry leaders who have developed a proposed Commodity Checkoff program for the hardwood industry. View the Federal Register order for the proposed program.
EPA Proposes Updates to Air Standards for Newly Manufactured Woodstoves and Heaters
WASHINGTON - The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is proposing standards for the amount of air pollution that can be emitted by new woodstoves and heaters, beginning in 2015. The agency's proposal would make the next generation of stoves and heaters an estimated 80 percent cleaner than those manufactured today, leading to important air quality and public health improvements in communities across the country. The proposal would affect a variety of wood heaters manufactured beginning in 2015 and will not affect heaters and stoves already in use in homes or currently for sale today.
European Union Timber Regulation
New European timber regulations went into effect March 3, 2013. For additional details, get details on timber regulations and forests.
Wind Wood Utilization
Wind Wood Utilization is the hub for information specifically related to the preparation for, response to, and recovery from major wind events and the utilization of downed and damaged timber and woody debris that can be generated.
Urban Forest Products Alliance LinkedIn Group
Forests of the Northern United States
This publication provides a broad overview of forests in the 20-state region that is bounded by Maine, Maryland, Missouri, and Minnesota. It was authored by nine people across the region and is accompanied by a Web site that describes current resource conditions, unique forest characteristics, and the challenges faced by this tier of States. The report's findings also highlight the complexities facing those making today's forest management, policy, and investment decisions that, in turn, will prepare and shape the region for a sustainable future.
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Wood Education and Resource Center Staff
Steve Milauskas, Director, (304) 487-1510, smilauskas@fs.fed.us
Ed Cesa, Deputy Director, (304) 285-1530, ecesa@fs.fed.us
Lew McCreery, Biomass Coordinator, (304) 285-1538, lmccreery@fs.fed.us
Debbie Hawkins, Office Administrator, (304) 487-1510, dhawkins@fs.fed.us
Nathan Delimont, Maintenance, (304) 487-1510, ndelimont@fs.fed.us
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