Business View Magazine | Volume 8, Issue 9

87 BUSINESS VIEW MAGAZINE VOLUME 8, ISSUE 9 THE SUSTA INABLE FORESTRY INI T I AT I VE Schools that use biophilic design report better test scores and there is evidence that hospital patients have quicker recovery rates. Wood also compares favorably to other materials when it comes to indoor air quality. Lifecycle assessments and the circular economy Lifecycle assessments (LCA) demonstrate the advantages of wood in terms of embodied energy, air and water pollution, and carbon footprint, according to WoodWorks. An LCA measures the environmental impact of things like construction materials or even an entire building over its lifetime. The process of conducting an LCA begins with tracking raw materials from extraction or harvesting through manufacturing, transportation, installation, use, maintenance, and end of life disposal or recycling. Data resulting from an LCA allows architects, builders, and owners to make better informed choices based on a product’s environmental impact. A circular economy creates systems that minimize the depletion of non-renewable resources by sustainably managing and regenerating renewable resources. This preserves or improves the well-being of people and ecosystems. A focus on the entire lifecycle of products and maximizing the use of renewable resources makes the circular economy an important part of achieving long- term sustainability goals. Forests have the potential to play a central role in the circular economy by providing renewable raw materials. According to the UN Economic Commission for Europe, a more coordinated approach to tapping into the forest sector could turn it into one of the key pillars of the circular economy. Sourcing products from SFI-certified forests is a great way to support the circular economy and conserve our planet’s precious resources. Accelerating focus on corporate sustainability makes certified mass timber a natural fit Environmental, social, and governance (ESG) principles and the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are becoming synonymous with corporate sustainability. SFI standards contribute directly to SDG indicators through landscape- level conservation to help conserve biodiversity and through the new SFI climate-smart forestry objective. ESG principles are embodied in