Judd Lumber achieves ‘certified green dealer’

Published 11:24 am Tuesday, February 9, 2010

Judd Lumber Co. announced Monday that it has achieved Certified Green Dealer status after its nine-member staff participated in voluntary educational training and testing on good green building techniques and green product choices in lumber and building materials.

The Certified Green Dealer Program was created under the auspices of LBM Journal, a national trade magazine serving the lumber and building material industry.

The program is based entirely on demonstrated understanding by lumber dealer personnel of “best practices” building science and green building basics.

A lumberyard or building material dealer location can become a certified Green Dealer if 75 percent or more of is sales personnel view a series of Web-based training videos (and pass seven tests and a final exam) about building basics, green building and green building products.

This national training program is the first of its kind in North America to provide lumber and material dealer personnel with educational information about green building basics and it requires that participants view online video modules and take rigorous tests to demonstrate knowledge of green building techniques and green product choices.

“We are very pleased to have achieved the Certified Green Dealer designation,” Judd Lumber Co. President Richard Judd stated Monday. “Investing in this training for our sales staff helps show our commitment to helping our customers make good choices for the environment, and in doing our part to recommend more earth-friendly products. We also want to make sure that we help educate our customers about ‘best practices’ in building techniques so that their building projects are both energy-efficient and make the best use of our resources.

“Forest products, by their very nature, are sustainable, renewable and biodegradable,” Judd continued. “Additionally, they absorb carbon dioxide and put oxygen back into our environment. The growing use of engineered lumber optimizes the use of forest resources by using more of the tree than dimensional lumber, and uses secondary-demand from smaller trees, lessening overall pressure on the forest.”

Last February, President Obama signed a stimulus bill, the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, that made significant changes to energy efficiency tax credits.
Tax credits that were scheduled to end in 2009, such as for windows and doors, have been extended to Dec. 31, 2010.

The tax credit has been raised from 10 percent to 30 percent.

For customers considering energy-efficient improvements to their homes, this year is the time to make them. To learn more about the Certified Green Dealer program, visit www.CertifiedGreenDealer.com.