Whole Building Design Guide Federal Green Construction Guide for Specifiers 06700 - 1 http://fedgreenspecs.wbdg.org 11/02/05 Alternative Agricultural Products This is a guidance document with sample specification language intended to be inserted into project specifications on this subject as appropriate to the agency's environmental goals. Certain provisions, where indicated, are required for U.S. federal agency projects. Sample specification language is numbered to clearly distinguish it from advisory or discussion material. Each sample is preceded by identification of the typical location in a specification section where it would appear using the SectionFormatTM of the Construction Specifications Institute. SECTION 06700 – ALTERNATIVE AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTS SPECIFIER NOTE: resource management The number of species of plants and animals upon which society depends is exceptionally small relative to the number of species that are available and adequate to the purpose. By promoting the use of alternative agricultural products, the building industry can not only promote less toxic, renewable resource, carbon sinking products, but revitalize the market interest in a variety of flora and help to preserve the earth’s biodiversity. Alternative agricultural products refers to a growing market segment for the building industry (and other industries) that is capitalizing on little known and underutilized species. Consider alternate, non-endangered/non-threatened species. The Convention on International Trade and Endangered Species (CITES) lists wood species that are endangered or threatened. Alternative agricultural building products include alternative lumber species and non-timber products fabricated from wheat straw, kenaf fibers, soy resins, and bamboo. Starch-based plastics have penetrated the consumer market and are gaining ground in packaging. There are starch based plastics and cellulose aggregate additives in development that might have potential for the construction industry. Alternative fuels and the systems that utilize them should also be considered. EPA promotes and expands the use of environmentally beneficial alternative fuels and vehicles by providing the states with tools, such as benefits models, State Implementation Plan Credits, and the Clean Fuels Fleet program. Refer to www.epa.gov/otaq/consumer/fuels/altfuels/altfuels.htm for additional information. It should be recognized that agricultural processes are not without potential for environmental impacts, including soil erosion, non-point source pollution, and destruction of habitat. For additional information, refer to the U.S. Department of Agriculture Natural Resources Conservation Service; Conservation Reserve Program which: reduces soil erosion, protects the Nation's ability to produce food and fiber, reduces sedimentation in streams and lakes, improves water quality, establishes wildlife habitat, and enhances forest and wetland resources it encourages farmers to convert highly erodible cropland or other environmentally sensitive acreage to vegetative cover, such as tame or native grasses, wildlife plantings, trees, filterstrips, or riparian buffers. Farmers receive an annual rental payment for the term of the multi-year contract. http://www.nrcs.usda.gov/programs/crp/ Also, refer to the EPA’s Draft Report on the Environment, Section 5.3 – What is the Ecological Condition of Farmlands? http://www.epa.gov/indicators/roe/pdf/tdEco5-3.pdf toxicity/IEQ: Most of the alternative agricultural products are designed to replace petroleum and synthetic chemical based products and have been specifically developed to be environmentally friendly. performance: Typically, only a limited number of wood species (relative to the tremendous diversity available) have approval by governing agencies based upon their documented structural characteristics (bending strength, compression strength, etc.), and by millwork fabricators based upon their physical characteristics (grain, luster, heartwood color, sapwood color, texture, odor, ease of drying, weathering, etc.) and woodworking characteristics (blunting effects, boring, carving, cutting resistance, gluing, mortising, molding, nailing, painting, planning, polishing, sanding, screwing, varnishing, veneering, etc.). Introducing alternative species for structural purposes may require a variance from the building department. Alternative agricultural products are often based in indigenous materials. Indigenous materials include: straw, wool, coconut fibers, cactus juice, leaves, ice, and sod. Most governing agencies classifyWhole Building Design Guide Federal Green Construction Guide for Specifiers 06700 - 2 http://fedgreenspecs.wbdg.org 11/02/05 Alternative Agricultural Products “indigenous” construction as “alternative” construction. Use of alternative or indigenous building materials and methods may require a variance from the building department. Most alternative agricultural products perform adequately to the purpose for which they were designed. In some instances, however, the manufacturer does not have all the testing data typically used to describe performance requirements (ie: compression, screw pull-out, etc). Furthermore, the standard test methods may not be appropriate to the alternative of material. ASTM, ISO, and other standards organizations are beginning to address this need. PART 1 - GENERAL 1.1 SUMMARY A. This Section includes: 1. Straw panels. 2. Straw particleboard. 3. Biocomposite. B. Related Sections: 1. Section 06070 - Wood Treatment. 2. Section 06100 – Rough Carpentry. 3. Section 06160 – Sheathing. 4. Section 06200 – Finish Carpentry. 1.2 DEFINITIONS A. Definitions pertaining to sustainable development: As defined in ASTM E2114. SPECIFIER NOTE: The terms “alternative agricultural” “biobased” and “rapidly renewable” when used in reference to building products tend to be used interchangeable. B. Alternative Agricultural Products: Bio-based industrial products (non-food, non-feed) manufactured from agricultural materials and animal by-products. C. Biobased Materials: Fuels, chemicals, building materials, or electric power or heat produced from biomass as defined by The Biomass Research and Development Act of 2000. Minimum biobased content shall be as defined by the US Department of Agriculture pursuant to the US Farm Bill May 2002 and 7 CFR Part 2902.
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