2008 Award Winner: Green Hammer, Inc.

Project Name: Green Hammer, Inc.
Location: Portland, OR
Building Type: Single Family Custom Built House
Square Footage: 2,600 sq ft

Suppliers of FSC-Certified Products to the Project

• Confederated Tribe of the Warm Springs Reservation
• Roseburg Forest Products
• Aura Hardwood Lumber, Inc.
• Columbia Forest Products

Words of Praise

"All of the entries this year have raised the bar for what it takes to win this prestigious award.  After considerable debate and analysis it was evident that this year's winner Green Hammer has reached unprecedented levels of sourcing and incorporating FSC wood into their work.  Green Hammer has also incorporated FSC-certified wood use as a standard product offering to their clients.  Their level of commitment shows true leadership in the area of sustainable design and construction."

-Jack Mackin
Vice President, F.D. Sterritt Lumber Company

"What made Green Hammer's project unique was their intimate understanding of their entire local FSC supply chain, including direct connections back to small woodland owners."

-Ian Hanna
Director, Northwest Certified Forestry

Use of FSC-certified Wood

The house is built of entirely FSC-certified wood, which was locally harvested, with the exception of the trim (salvaged bleacher seats from a local high school) and stair treads (salvaged from a tree removed on-site).

FSC-certified products include:

• Framing lumber, posts and beams
• Glulam beams
• Plywood
• Tongue-and-groove car decking
• Cabinets
• Countertops

Transforming the Market for Certified Wood Products

Completed in July 2008, Green Hammer, Inc.'s custom built house is a 2,600 square foot single family home with a detached 600 square foot studio apartment.  This project has applied for LEED Platinum certification and is located in the Portland, OR region.

Project entries were judged by an independent selection panel based on the inclusion of FSC-certified wood products, efforts to incorporate certified forest products market transformation, overall wood design, appropriateness of wood use, and creative expression and innovation in the project.  Green Hammer, Inc. is being recognized for its outstanding accomplishments in each of these areas.  With a few exceptions, all the wood used in construction was FSC certified and locally harvested. The exceptions included the trim (salvaged bleacher seats from a local high school) and stair treads (salvaged from a tree removed on-site).

The project highlights the quality and diversity of FSC certified products available in the marketplace.  Products range from framing lumber to countertops; species range from traditional Douglas fir to lesser-known Madrone; and no wood was wasted, with knotty and lower-grade material serving as unique accents in the design and construction.  The open design plan makes these attributes easily visible.     

Finally, the project tells a story of local, responsible forestry.  The framing lumber was sourced 50 miles away, from Zena Timber, a nearby forest managed by a family member of the homeowner.  The homeowners not only wanted to support the local FSC market, but also to set an example for responsible building in their community. 

"FSC certified products are at the heart of our project because we believe in minimizing the negative impacts traditionally associated with building.  We've seen plenty of clear cuts, plenty of imported lumber, and plenty of jobs lost in our community.  We demanded locally sourced FSC certified wood to prove to our many visitors that it's possible to build "green", and that the results look great and feel great--we are doing our part to steward the forests, and the local economy" explained homeowner Charlie Weiss.