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Glossary
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agenda 21
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Agenda 21 is a comprehensive plan of action for achieving sustainable development in the 21st century. It includes a wide range of economic, social and environmental factors that affect sustainable development. Chapter 11 of Agenda 21, the major output of the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED) in Rio de Janeiro, 1992, deals specifically with forestry issues. |
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beam
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Structural member, other than a triangulated frame, which supports load primarily by its internal resistance to bending. |
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carbon sink
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A carbon sink is something that removes or stores carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, for example growing vegetation.
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certification
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Forest certification refers to the assessment of forest management by an independent third party auditor according to performance criteria for sustainable wood production. |
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chain of custody
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The process by which the source of a timber product is verified. This entails ‘tracking’ the timber from the forest through all the steps of the production process until it reaches the end user. The process is usually necessary before a timber product can be labelled as being produced from a sustainable source. |
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cladding
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The external covering or skin of walls of a building. Timber cladding includes natural or treated timber boards, and plywood. |
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decay
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The decomposition of wood by fungi. |
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durability
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1. The natural resistance of timber to biodeterioration due to fungi, insects and mechanical break down caused by weathering, checking and splitting.
2. In building, the efficacy of details in preserving or protecting the fabric of the building from decay or deterioration. |
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durability class
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Durability is expressed as one of four classes. The value for each species is based on trials of the resistance to both decay and termites of untreated heartwood in the ground. The classes are:
Class 1- Timber of the highest natural durability, expected to have a life greater than 25 years in the ground and greater than 40 years exposed above ground.
Class 2 - Timber of high natural durability, expected to have a life of about 15 to 25 years in the ground and 15 to 40 years exposed above ground.
Class 3 - Timber of moderate natural durability, expected to have a life of about 5 to 15 years in the ground and 7 to 15 years exposed above ground.
Class 4 - Timber of low durability, expected to have a life of 0 to 5 years in the ground and 0 to 7 years exposed above ground.
The sapwood of all species is regarded to be Class 4. |
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eco labelling
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Eco labelling is a form of third party certification of a product that confirms that the product meets particular environmental criteria. Eco labels are designed to help consumers choose products that do less damage to the environment. Criteria for a product group are generally developed by the application of a life cycle assessment approach. |
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embodied energy
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The amount of non-renewable energy used to extract and process raw materials into finished building components. The embodied energy of a material is usually expressed in the units MJ/kg and that of a sheet building component or element MJ/m2. |
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environmental impact assessments
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Environmental impact assessments predict environmental impacts of a new development at the design stage. They may be required by Commonwealth, State or Local government legislation dependent upon the scope of the project. |
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environmental impacts
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The environment is defined as the physical and chemical surroundings of an object, the cultural, aesthetic and other factors which contribute to quality of life. Therefore environmental impacts refers to the effects on the surroundings, primarily physical things. |
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environmental management systems
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Environmental management systems are systems that ensure the organisation is working within the framework of ecologically sustainable development. These systems can be formal or informal. Formal systems include those prescribed by ISO 14001 and 14004. |
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forest practices
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Forest practices means the processes involved in establishing forests, or growing or harvesting timber, and includes
> the construction of roads; and
> the development and operation of quarries; and
> other works connected with establishing forests, or growing or harvesting timber
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forest stewardship council
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The Forest Stewardship Council is an international non-profit organisation founded in 1993 to support environmentally appropriate, socially beneficial, and economically viable management of the world's forests. |
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frame
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1. The main timbers of a structure fitted and joined together.
2. A three dimensional self contained structural system of interconnecting members which functions with or without the aid of horizontal diaphragms or floor bracing systems. |
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framing timber
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Timber used to form the basic structure of a building, such as studs and joists. |
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fungus (fungi)
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A plant that feeds on wood fibre. Fungi primarily consist of microscopic threads (hyphae) that traverse wood in all
directions, dissolving materials out of the cell walls. |
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green building
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This is a loosely defined collection of land-use, building design, and construction strategies that reduces undesirable environmental impacts. Benefits of building green include reduced energy consumption, protection of ecosystems, and occupant health. |
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ISO 14000 - environmental management standards
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ISO 14000 is a series of international, voluntary environmental management standards developed by the International Organisation for Standardisation to provide organisations with a common framework for managing environmental issues. |
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land use change and forestry
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Land use change and forestry is an overarching title used internationally for sources (emissions) and sinks (removals) associated with the following activities:
Forestry - commercial harvesting, fuel wood consumption, & incremental growth of managed forests and plantations; &
Land use change - loss of above ground biomass, on-site and off-site burning of above ground biomass, decay of above ground biomass, soil disturbance, and sequestration in post burning regrowth.
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life cycle assessment
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Life Cycle Assessment is a process to:
evaluate the environmental burdens associated with a product, process, or activity by identifying and quantifying energy and materials used and wastes released to the environment,
assess the impact of those energy and materials used and releases to the environment; and
identify and evaluate opportunities to affect environmental improvements.
The assessment includes the entire life cycle of the product, process or activity, encompassing, extracting and processing raw materials; manufacturing, transportation and distribution; use, re-use, maintenance; recycling, and final disposal.
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life cycle energy
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The total energy consumed by a building during its life-cycle (including manufacture of materials, construction, in-use, renovation, and demolition) derived from non-renewable resources. It includes the embodied energy of the building components. Life-cycle energy is usually expressed in terms of source energy that is, the energy content of the primary fuel before generation, distribution and other losses. |
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mutual recognition
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Mutual recognition with regards to forest certification is taken to encompass that minimum requirements have been met or that there is equivalence in the standards. That is, the countries agree to recognise the Certification standards of each other as complying standards. |
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organic building materials
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These materials are those based on carbon compounds. They include sawn timber, reconstituted and engineered wood products and plastics. |
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pan european forest certification scheme
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The Pan European Forest Certification scheme was established in 1999. It is a voluntary private sector initiative which defines the basic requirements of forest certification according to the Pan European Criteria developed as a result of the resolutions of the Helsinki and Lisbon Ministerial Conferences of 1993 and 1998 on the Protection of Forests in Europe |
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performance based
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A code where the requirements are expressed as objectives to be achieved |
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plantation
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An intensively managed stand of trees of either native or introduced species, created by the regular placement of seedlings or seed |
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prescriptive
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A code where the requirements are expressed as rigid rules or predetermined solutions |
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rafter
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One of a series of roof support timbers that provide principal support for the roofing material. Rafters usually span parallel to the slope of the roof. |
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statement of forest principles
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This is a non-legally binding statement that reflects a first global consensus on forests. The principles are intended to apply to all types of forests, both natural and planted, in all geographical regions and climatic zones. The principles cover the entire range of environmental and development issues and opportunities including the right to sustainable socio-economic development of forest, the promotion of non-wood values of the forests and the rights of indigenous peoples and their involvement, along with other groups, in dealing with forests. |
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All participants...
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