Economy
State’s timber ratings under fire
THE State Government has moved quickly to quash tender requirements for two new Hobart schools, which would have seen special Green Building Council-approved timber being imported into the state.
Education Department director of facilities Andrew Finch said the Green Building Councilapproved timber had been a requirement in the initial tender documents for the two schools – due to begin construction in Hobart’s northern suburbs in December – because the department had wanted to obtain a five green-star rating for the buildings.
“It has now been brought to the department’s attention that the specific timber type is not available within Tasmania,” Mr Finch said yesterday.
“We will now be removing that requirement for the specific timber and will pursue green star points on items other than timber.”
Forest Industries Association of Tasmania chief executive Terry Edwards said his organisation was concerned with the Green Building Council’s stance on timber certification, and feared the problem could also affect the Federal Government’s “education revolution” capital works program.
Mr Edwards said two certification schemes for timber applied in Australia – the Forest Stewardship Council certification scheme and the Australian Forestry Standard.
“The big problem we’ve got with the Green Building Council specifications for timber is that they only allow timber sourced from Forest Stewardship Council sources,” Mr Edwards said.
“In Tasmania, the vast bulk of certification is through the Australian Forestry Standard and there is virtually no Forest Stewardship Council certification within Tasmania.
“So when you look at a construction project in Tasmania that says you must use Forest Stewardship Council timber – well, for a start we’re either going to have to import it from the mainland, if it even exists, or import it from overseas.”
Mr Edwards said his organisation would continue to lobby the Green Building Council to ensure both certification schemes were given equal consideration.