Did you now that a new EPA law requires remodelers to be certified to work in pre-1978 homes? Or, that the “Secretary of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) defined lead poisoning as the No. 1 environmental threat to the health of children in this country”–in 1991?

The March/April 2010 issue of Kansas City Homes & Gardens explores this serious topic and outlines what our Kansas City chapter of National Association of the Remodeling Industry (NARI) is doing about it in its “Green Living” section.

Says Jan Burchett, executive director of Kansas City’s NARI chapter in KCH&G: “We’re working hard to let consumers know that this pivotal law is going into effect. If someone who lives in one of the date-targeted homes is hiring a remodeler, they need to know that person has to have completed an eight-hour Certified Lead Renovator Training with an accredited trainer.”

So, what as homeowners, do you need to know? According to Burchett, “certified contractors/remodelers are obligated to prove their valid certification by displaying their official lead-based paint license, certificate or training certificate to a homeowner. Don’t be afraid to ask prospective remodelers to describe what they’ll do to practice lead safety, and if you’re having your home tested to determine the existence of lead, have them specify what the final lead inspection entails.”

Check out Protecting Your Family from Lead Exposure to learn more, or pick up a copy of the March/April issue.

We’ve written about woodworking showcase blog LumberJocks before (see Getting Serious With Sycamore), and today we’ll do it again, as one of their bloggers has allowed Schutte Lumber to play a starring role in providing shelter for their baby–lumber for the crib!

Writes Mark DeSchepper: “Like all proud woodworkers we share in the joy of our projects…This project takes on that special joy as my wife and I are happily expecting our first this June…I spent many hours searching high and low for plans for that perfect crib. I knew I wanted a sleigh style crib, and the material would be obvious, solid cherry the entire way.”

Here’s the plan below:

He continues “The next stop was obvious, I can’t possibly begin to make until the trip to the local lumber store was made. Living in KC, Schutte Lumber is a great and friendly place to get lumber for projects…The other main reason was the need for 8/4 rough stock so I could resaw into the required 1 1/2 inch thick stock for the 4 main legs. The top shelf of my lumber rack is the cherry that will eventually become my son’s new sleeping quarters.”

A sneak peek into his “shop”in the garage, below:

Thanks for the shout-out, Mark, and best of luck with the crib. To read more about his plans, check out “Baby Steps“.

To the rest of you Weekend Warriors: What projects can we be of assistance with?

Every week Schutte Lumber Company will be doing a drawing for a $25 gift card!  Please come to the Showroom to find out how to qualify yourself to win.  This week the winner is Dennis Barlow of DNAB.  Congratulations Dennis!

Check back frequently for great deals!

Residential Design & Build magazine’s columnist John D. Wagner, who says he traveled thousands of miles across the U.S. to speak to contractors and designers alike about the green building industry in 2009, predicts that the future is green, and you’d better have a plan to capitalize on it, or prepare to be left in the dust.

So, what’s driving green? According to Wagner, the answer is twofold.

“Part one is consumer demand; 90 percent of Americans agree there are ‘important green issues and problems,’ according to the NAHB. How do consumers express those concerns when shopping? They buy green products that make them part of the green solution. And who should they buy from? Well, the same NAHB study showed that 82 percent of Americans believe it is ‘important for companies to implement environmentally friendly practices.’ If you have done that and trained yourself to be knowledgeable about green, you’ve put yourself in the path of money, money that has been flowing in markets both good and bad.

“Part two is comprised of codes and regulations. There has been a proliferation of green building codes and energy efficiency requirements nationwide, and this has been expressed at the national, state and local levels. The American Institute of Architects recently reported that 92 cities with populations greater than 50,000 have established green building programs, up from 22 just four years earlier, which is a 318 percent increase. Whether or not you agree with this trend is not important. What matters is how well-educated and trained you are to sell in the markets where green building products are being required by code.”

Those numbers speak pretty loudly. Looking for more proof? According to McGraw Hill Construction, in the next five years alone, green building will grow into a $96 to $140 billion market.

What are you waiting for?

“Of all the terminology used when discussing green products, sustainability might be most often misunderstood. Sustainability has been defined as development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs; a definition created in 1987 at the World Commission on Environment and Development, a division of the United Nations,” according to a recent article in Residential Design & Build magazine.

Which brings us to the next question. Is Certified Lumber sustainable, and how can consumers be certain?

The most important point, according to Ray Tonjes, chairman of the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) Green Building Subcommittee is that: “Lumber certification alleviates concerns about mismanaged forests that contribute to soil erosion, loss of wildlife, and the clear cutting of old-growth forests.”

Futhermore, according to RD&B, “To measure the sustainability level of lumber, two main attributes are evaluated: harvesting and chain of custody. The harvesting process is evaluated based on how trees are planted, grown, cut down and renewed to ensure the long-term health and existence of a forest. Chain of custody tracks exactly who or which company touched a piece of lumber, tracing it back to the company that employed the person or machine that cut down the tree. ‘Chain of custody is important because it guarantees a link from the product to the forest it came from,’ says Kathy Abusow, president and CEO, Sustainable Forestry Initiative, a program based on the premise that responsible environmental behavior and sound business decisions can co-exist.”

Schutte Lumber is proud to offer lumber certified by the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC), and independent, third-party organization that certifies and establishes guidelines for forests and how they are managed. It’s also one of the most recognized logos to look for when searching for sustainable lumber.

The FSC seal certifies that lumber not only was harvested in a sustainable manner, but also guarantees the chain of custody down the supply chain. Want to know more? Check out “What is Certified Lumber?”

Did you know that Schutte Lumber’s contractor showroom is open to the public to serve both contractors and do-it-yourself customers alike? And, because we’re eagerly anticipating Spring’s arrival, when warm temperatures will have us hitting the deck, we wanted to remind you that we’ve got a fantastic amount of floorspace devoted to decking products.

What are some of the most popular decking choices out there? Kansas City Homes & Gardens explores this very topic. Here’s what they have to say about Cedar:

“Cedar has reportedly been used as far back as in the construction of King Solomon’s temple in Jerusalem. Many consider cedar to be the product of choice in outdoor decking: it smells great, doesn’t warp, grays beautifully over time and has a variety of grain patterns and textures. Most important, it is naturally resistant to rot and not tasty to insects. Cool to the touch in hot summer months, it is less expensive and more readily available than redwood, which it is most commonly compared against.

Green Factor: As a softwood, it’s easy to work with, but be cautious when cutting as the dust can be a lung and skin irritant. Primarily found in the Pacific Northwest, these trees can grow as high as 200 feet and 10 feet across at the base. The rapid dwindling of old growth cedar forests has been an enormous source of concern. Look for a Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) product label to verify accreditation of sustainable harvesting practices. Go to fscus.org to find out more.”