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Showcase for Queensland soft and hardwood species

Nick Capobianco, regional director Australia-NZ and senior lead auditor at SCS Global Services (centre), and Responsible Wood’s Simon Dorries, CEO, and Jason Ross, marketing and communications officer, inspect wood products ready for the Timber House makeover in Brisbane

Certified timber held the floor as Timber Queensland and Responsible Wood met with SCS Global Services to kick-start project certification of their new office space at Timber House in the northern Brisbane suburb of Kedron. Source: Timberbiz

The project is undergoing an audit and stands to be the second registered under the ‘Responsible Wood Project Certification Scheme’ with the space under heavy construction to allow for a full relocation later this year.

According to Timber Queensland’s Mick Stephens, the project showcases Queensland’s finest timbers with all hardwoods and softwoods generously donated by Timber Queensland members and valued industry partners.

“As it stands, we have commitments from several Timber Queensland members and other partners to supply hardwood and softwood species which will be used for flooring, cladding, paneling, doors, mouldings and timber beams,” Mr Stephens said.

To date Timber Queensland has received donations on-site from Parkside and Hurfords Wholesale with additional timber materials committed from Hyne Timber, Finlaysons, Boral Timber, Kennedy’s Timbers, Carter Holt Harvey, Austral Plywoods and PNG Forest Products.

Other partners on the project include flooring installation services from Scribed Flooring and Timberoo Timber Flooring Specialists, as well as timber prefabrication with Kennedy’s Timbers.

Underpinning its commitment to certification, the project is seeking up to 90% of all species to be sourced from the Responsible Wood Certification Scheme.

Detailing the certification process Responsible Wood’s Simon Dorries identified the importance of developing project procedures to monitor compliance with Chain of Custody standards. “The project certification team has developed a Project Certification Manual that is used as a reference point,” Mr Dorries said.

“On project completion we hope to make this very helpful document readily available, free and online to assist with future project certifications.”

The Responsible Wood Project Certification Scheme represents the commitment by Timber Queensland and Responsible Wood to procure timber based materials in accordance with AS 4707 Chain of Custody for Forest Products or PEFC ST 2002:2013 Chain of Custody of Forest Based Products.

In order to claim using the Responsible Wood logo SCS Global Services Nick Capobianco explained that a minimum requirement of 70% of all timber used on the project must be claimed in accordance with AS 4707 or PEFC ST 2002:2013 and validated by an approved certification body.

SCS Global Services is one of 11 certification bodies approved by Responsible Wood to certify Chain of Custody and is the only certification body that has participated in a Responsible Wood Project Certification Scheme. SCS Global Services generously donated their time pro-bono to assist with the project.