Minneapolis — The Forest Stewardship Council-US (FSC-US) announced that Green Hammer, Inc., based in Portland, Ore., will receive the fourth annual Designing & Building with FSC Award for its single-family custom-built house. The award recognizes building projects that have furthered responsible forest management through their use of FSC-certified wood products.

Completed in July 2008, Green Hammer, Inc.’s custom-built house is a 2,600-square-foot single-family custom home with a 600-square-foot additional dwelling unit studio apartment. This project is pending LEED Platinum status and is located in the Portland, Ore., region. The house is built of entirely FSC-certified wood, which was locally harvested, with the exception of the trim (salvaged bleacher seats from a local high school) and stair treads (salvaged from a tree removed on-site).

The project highlights the quality and diversity of FSC-certified products available in the marketplace. Products range from framing lumber to countertops; species range from traditional Douglas fir to lesser-known Madrone; and no wood was wasted, with knotty and lower-grade material serving as unique accents in the design and construction. The open design plan makes these attributes easily visible.

Diana Brown, group publisher of Environmental Design & Construction magazine and part of the selection committee for the award, stated, “The Designing and Building with FSC award had very strong competition this year! The 100 percent use of FSC-certified wood — including Pure, reclaimed and logs from the site itself — as well as the continued growth and education about FSC in the industry were exemplified in this year’s winning project, Green Hammer. In addition to surpassing the goals of this award, the creation of a non-profit, The Build Local Alliance, was formed. It’s an excellent example of what the Designing and Building with FSC award is about.”

The Residential Honorable Mention went to DiGiacomo Homes & Renovation, Inc., based in Minnetonka, Minn., for its custom built single family home in Golden Valley, Minn.

The Commercial/Institutional Honorable Mention went to Marsh-Billings-Rockefeller National Historical Park, located in Woodstock, Vt., for its Forest Center.

Visit www.fscus.org for more information.