WHAT is sustainable wood is and where do wood products such as furniture and flooring actually come from?

Sustainability message… Mark Thomson (right) and Jason Ross, with certified Tasmanian oak furniture exhibited at the Eco-Expo by Wild, a lifestyle company in Noosa.
CONSUMERS are often mystified about what sustainable wood is and where wood products such as furniture and flooring actually come from.
Eco-architect Mark Thomson, who has developed a national reputation for championing sustainable design and development, practices what he preaches. A keynote speaker at the Eco-Expo in Brisbane last week, he captured the attention of a packed seminar hall with a key message about certification.
A director of Responsible Wood, Mr Thomson said many programs “talk about wood” but they often don’t mention certification – or indeed consider the legality of the wood they are selling.
“It’s the first thing you should be looking for,” he told the seminar.
“Consumers now are more and more conscience about the environment they live in and are listening more closely to the certification message,” said Mr Thomson who built his own timber home.
Living in it for eight years convinced him of the multiple benefits wood products offer. His ‘eco-home’ netted three architectural awards and consolidated his professional reputation as an advocate of ecologically sustainable development.
Mr Thomson, principal of Eco Effective Solutions in Brisbane, has managed hundreds of projects, presenting to thousands of industry personnel and lecturing at more than 10 universities. He has co-authored books and developed green rating tools and national green guidelines to the design and construction industry.
He is immediate past president of the Australian Green Development Forum, a faculty member of the Green Building Council of Australia.
The Eco-Expo, Australia’s largest health and sustainability event, attracted more than 2000 visitors and over 150 exhibitors and speakers in a two-day program.

Delivering the message…Mark Thomson delivers responsible message to more than 100 at Eco-Expo