NELMA Archives - Page 9 of 15

Architects See Wood!

Posted on November 4, 2014 by

NELMA continued its presence before the largest regional gathering of architects and building design professionals with its 10×10 exhibit at the 2014 ABX event held at the Boston Convention Center, October 28-30. The show drew more than 8,000 registrants that had the opportunity to garner continuing education credits at various seminars and workshops, while also spending time perusing 364 exhibits on the show floor.

As usual, NELMA offered this important decision-making group one of the very few locations at the Expo to learn more about using wood in their designs. Touting northeastern softwoods as a natural fit for today’s contemporary building construction, both inside and out, NELMA’s central message of “Sustainable Versatility” is gaining traction with the audience. “We no longer have to defend wood as a construction material to this target group as in years past”, according to Jeff Easterling, President of NELMA. “It’s refreshing to get questions on ‘what’s new?’ along with their eagerness to talk about their projects that incorporate wood products.”

The most popular reference materials offered by the Association continue to be the Grade Swatch and the Pattern Profiles, followed by the Northeastern Softwoods “Map”. Separately, the recognition of the White Pine Series of Architectural Monographs continues to grow with each issue published by NELMA.

NELMA @ ENAP

Posted on November 3, 2014 by

NELMA recently participated in the 2014 ENAP Annual Forest Products Conference, held October 27 in Baltimore. ENAP is one of the largest forest product buyer co-ops that services a large number of lumber retailers located within the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic regions.

As one of four headliner seminars at this year’s Conference, Jeff Easterling presented a one-hour program titled, Lumber’s New Look with the Same Rules, to more than 75 retail lumber business owners and purchasing agents in attendance. The information conveyed included an overview of the Association and its historical significance, an outline of the lumber grading system in North America, and specific information on programs, activities, and technical & marketing materials available from NELMA to assist in the education and sale of northeastern softwood lumber products. The growing number of NELMA’s online tools in addition to the array of reference materials in print was described in detail during the presentation.

“We relish this type of opportunity to be in front of a large group of industry professionals to talk about NELMA and the unique ways we support the education and sales of lumber products manufactured by the Association’s member mills,” reported Jeff Easterling. “It’s great to hear comments post-program noting that NELMA is certainly not your typical lumber trade association, citing its combination role as a grading agency and very active marketing organization.”

NELMA Invites you to ABX 2014

Posted on September 25, 2014 by

ArchitectureBoston Expo (ABX) is one of the largest events for the design and construction industry in the country, and the largest regional conference and tradeshow. The show’s attendance typically numbers around 8,500 design and construction professionals, drawing 92% of its attendance from New England.

Produced by the Boston Society of Architects, the Expo offers NELMA the opportunity to reach this important architect and builder audience within our members’ critical market area.

This year’s event will be held at the Boston Convention and Exhibition Center, located at 415 Summer Street in the South Boston area. The 3-day Expo will run from Tuesday, October 28 to Thursday, October 30, opening at 11:00 a.m. each day. NELMA’s display will be in Booth #531.

As an exhibitor, NELMA is pleased to be able to invite its members to attend the sold-out Exhibit Hall free of charge. Just REGISTER HERE and use the Promo Code NLM14 at the bottom of the online registration page for your VIP Pass.

See you in Boston!

Building Products Digest Publishes Eastern White Pine Special Issue

Posted on September 25, 2014 by

2014 marks the 11th consecutive year that Building Products Digest magazine has featured Eastern White Pine in their September issue. What began as a 4-page news spread in 2004 has grown to a 12-page “Information-Central”, covering the latest from NELMA pertinent to the 16,000+ lumber retailers and distributors that receive the magazine. In addition, ten Association members took advantage of this unique marketing opportunity to advertise their Eastern White Pine product line to these potential customers located in the Eastern half of the U.S.

Articles provided by NELMA include details on the 2014 Sustainable Versatility Design Award, presented annually by the Association to the student architect with the winning project. The newly-introduced “Wood Geeks” PR program was described, now online at www.easternwhitepine.org, along with NELMA’s new “Virtual Tour” online marketing tool that provides viewers with a 360 degree look at various ways to use Eastern White Pine in a home. The Association’s Grader Academy, with its ever-increasing educational content, was described within the special section, followed by an article highlighting the revamped www.nelma.org website and areas that may be of value to retailers and distributors as a reference information source.

NELMA would like to thank Building Products Digest for this annual opportunity along with the members of the Association that advertised within the September issue.

For a full read of the magazine and the Eastern White Pine Special Issue section, click here.

Seeking the NEXT Generation!

Posted on September 4, 2014 by

Currently in print, the latest issue of the White Pine Series of Architectural Monographs will display a selection of architectural designs featuring Eastern White Pine from young, aspiring architects motivated through NELMA’s Sustainable Versatility Design Awards, now in its 4th year.

As a natural follow-up to our spotlight on the works from these future designers, the next issue (Winter 2014) looks to get inside the minds of today’s young builders and contractors; those that prefer the authentic look and feel of wood within their construction projects.

To locate these individuals, NELMA would like to solicit the assistance of its membership to introduce us to these young builders so we can shine the light on their businesses and practices to further educate others about the importance of designing and building with Eastern White Pine. If you know of any potential candidates for this project, please forward their contact information to jeff@www.nelma.org.

Small Sustainable Spaces: 3 Award-Winning Eastern White Pine Designs

Posted on September 3, 2014 by Jeff Easterling

What does the future of sustainable architecture look like? Chances are, it’ll include a lot of wood – one of the greenest building materials around – whether used in tiny houses that reduce residents’ impact on the environment or even large-scale skyscrapers. The very first Sustainable Versatility Awards in 2012 asked architecture, engineering and design students to envision a small (600-square-foot) free-standing sustainable structure made of Eastern White Pine. Here are the three winning designs (see 2013’s winners, too!)

In first place (above) is Studio Soleil, imagined as a detached teaching studio and performance space for a piano teacher. Created by Maynard Hayden León of Harvard University Graduate School of Design, this plan uses Eastern White Pine for built-in millwork, including bookshelves lining the main space, and an acoustic baffle system. The exterior features the traditional ‘Shou Sugi Ban’ method of charred wooden siding, which protects against rain, rot and insects for 80 years.

Benjamin J. Greer of Northeastern University won second place with HOME, a modern sustainable house inspired by the traditional Northeast log cabin. Packing lots of comfort and function into the small footprint, it’s got a slatted wood facade that filters light and provides privacy. The interior is smartly laid out to make the most of the space, and there’s even a second-floor terrace.

REST AREA by Natalie Petricca of Carleton University is a striking, artistic pavilion offering an intriguing resting spot for hikers on a forest trail. Eastern White Pine stakes surrounding the sculptural benches mimic the trunks of the adjacent trees, and the seating is inclined to encourage gazing up at the branches.