Specifying responsibility

This is a sponsored article from SustainabilityTracker.com member ForestOne.

The construction of residential and commercial buildings, and other infrastructure have a significant impact on people and the environment. The built environment requires the use of land, materials and energy, which in turn leads to greenhouse gas emissions and the production of other wastes. In fact, emissions from the building sector hit their highest-ever level in 2019.

Beyond that, there is also the human impact, especially the people involved throughout the construction process are sometimes vulnerable to exploitation or are exposed to unnecessary risks to their health and safety. Buildings themselves may be harmful to human health through poor design or the use of toxic building materials. It is our obligation to make a responsible choice and contribute to the sustainability of our ecosystem.

As there is no universal definition of ‘sustainability’, it is generally discussed in a specific way. Sustainability refers to processes and actions through which humankind avoids the depletion of natural resources to maintain an ecological balance. This concept also has a social and economic dimension, which includes respecting and protecting social and economic equity, human and labour rights, and human health and safety. Applying this idea to building and construction; a sustainable building is an outcome of a design philosophy which focuses on increasing the efficiency of resource use, while reducing building impacts on human health and the environment during the building’s lifecycle. Therefore, it is the industry’s access to ethically sourced building materials that enables responsible specification in architecture & more sustainable building outcomes.

A ForestOne Project: Designing with Intention

While we often focus on aesthetics, performance and cost when designing and constructing buildings, beautiful designs do not need to come at the cost to the earth. Specifying Responsibly means architects, designers and project specifiers can reduce the environmental impact of building through careful material selection. They can also make informed decisions that contribute to the health and well-being of all stakeholders in the supply chain. As ForestOne is the largest independent distributor of wood panels, timber and decorative surface products in Australia, we have a strong focus on providing products to allow architects and designers to Specify Responsibly.

It is at the heart of what we do; the way of how we do things at ForestOne. It is all about making a responsible choice with a range of high-quality products and making an impact that is good for the environment.

Check out ‘The ForestOne Story’ in the video below

This is an article from a SustainabilityTracker.com Member. The views and opinions we express here don’t necessarily reflect our organisation.