Encouragingly, there have been several recent developments coming out of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), or affecting EPA policies, that we wanted to share with readers, as they positively affect wood product manufacturers.  New Source Review Advancing At a recent meeting...

The International Code Council (ICC) building code update process for the 2021 code cycle is officially underway! In late December, the ICC Tall Wood Building Ad-hoc Committee submitted a package of 19 proposed changes for the 2021 edition of the building code that would collectively allow...

The recent approval of the 2018 International Building Code (IBC) and International Residential Code (IRC) is of keen interest to professionals in the construction industry as it often means expanded options for structural applications. In support of these two codes, the American Wood Council...

The American Wood Council hosted a webinar in July sharing best practices for fire protection during construction to help mitigate and reduce construction fires. The 90-minute presentation introduced attendees to several recent major construction fires and their reported causes, the many...

In 2016, the California Occupational Safety and Health Administration (Cal/OSHA) proposed to significantly lower the permissible exposure limit (PEL) of wood dust from 5 milligrams per cubic meter (mg/m3) to 1 mg/m3. Earlier this year the Cal/OSHA Standards Board considered that proposal....

It’s that time of year again, when we observe National Forest Products Week during the third week of October. National Forest Products Week began in 1960 with Congress proclaiming “our country and its people have always found constant strength, individual peace, and personal pride...

The House of Representatives has passed the Ozone Standards Implementation Act of 2017 (HR 806), which balances air quality with sound regulatory processes. The legislation would prevent a rushed implementation of the 2015 ozone Nation Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS). AWC urges the Senate...

Five full-scale mass timber fire tests in a multi-story apartment building have been completed with promising results. The International Code Council Ad-hoc Committee on Tall Wood Buildings provided the five fire scenarios that were tested in each of the two one-bedroom apartments constructed...

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell plans to cut this year’s August recess short by two weeks, but federal lawmakers will still be using part of August to visit constituents at home. The American Wood Council encourages you to use this opportunity to schedule a meeting with members of...

Building officials are the gatekeepers to building construction. To approve any construction, including where wood is the principal product, they need to know a lot of information. The American Wood Council aims to make the job of building code official a little easier when it comes to knowing...