Sustainable Architecture - Essay Example

Engineered structural materials is defined as "recycled/reconstituted wood materials that employ laminated wood chips or strands and finger jointing (the gluing of larger pieces together)" (Sustainable Building Sourcebook, 2006). The materials that formulate the structured materials fall under the category of engineered wood and as such it means that the "tolerances in stability, consistency, straightness and strength are more precise then dimensional lumber, making the products easier to work with.

In joist and rafter applications, the reconstituted products are particularly useful for long spans without bowing or lateral movement" (Sustainable Building Sourcebook, 2006). When making these building materials look to drastically minimise the amount of waste that is created in processing the raw materials as waste wood and entire trees, regardless of their size, age or species can be utilised in making these products. "Finger jointed studs reduce waste in two ways. Short pieces that normally would be unusable are combined rather than disposed and the engineered quality of finger jointed materials eliminate warping or cracking.

The strength of the joints in good quality material is such that the solid wood portions will be more likely to break than the adhered finger joint" (Sustainable Building Sourcebook, 2006).The following graph outline both satisfactory and unsatisfactory or difficult in various circumstances of recycled/reconstituted wood and explain the ease of both finding satisfactory results in finding the technology and costs relatively low. There is also the issue of both finding the financing in engaging in implementing the recycled/ reconstituted wood along with much more public acceptance as the public continues to be interested in companies that engage in sustainable material practices.

Figure 1CommercialStatusImplementationIssuesRecycled/Reconstituted Wood LegendSatisfactorySatisfactory in most conditionsSatisfactory in Limited ConditionsUnsatisfactory or DifficultWhen looking toward sustainable materials in the construction industry it is important to start with forestry management. There are many companies that look toward accomplishing sustainable building product development by first looking toward how to better utilise the forest itself. Hunt and Winandy (2002) write about how 3D engineered fibreboard as "an economically viable process to produce three-dimensional structural fibreboard products that can utilise a wide range of lignocellulosic fibres contained in the forest undergrowth and in underutilised timber.

This will encourage the public and private sector to undertake thinning or clearing of these components from the forest thereby reducing or removing dangerous fuels and minimising costs to the federal government for fire mitigation" (106).Hunt and Winandy's (2002) proposed product "consists of a structural material which can be made from a wide range of little or no-value