The global green building market has grown into a $260 billion dollar industry with an estimated 20 percent going into new U.S. commercial real estate construction. This trend is expected to intensify in the coming years here in North America and internationally.

Owners and manager of commercial buildings will invest an estimated $960 billion around the world between now and 2023 on greening their existing facilities. Major priority areas will include the use of green wood technologies such as thermally modified wood.

Demand for thermally modified woods that are FSC certified have increased year over year and have benefited the building owner in their quest to obtain LEED certification. LEED buildings are becoming more attractive to a growing group of corporate, public and individual buyers. Building features and their performance will increasingly enter into tenants’ decisions about leasing space and into buyers’ decisions about purchasing properties and homes.

Thermally Modified Wood is a great building material; versatile, requires little (embodied) energy to produce, durable, and comes from renewable and well managed forests here in North America which eliminates the need to purchase foreign tropical species such as Ipe which have become more scrutinized due to illegal harvesting. There is a Canadian company called CFP Cladding & Decking which sells a line of North American FSC certified decking and siding products and they are also a member of the Canadian Green Building Council which recognizes companies that advocate green building initiatives.