Platinum

The American Hardwood Export Council (AHEC) is the leading international trade association of the U.S. hardwood industry, representing the committed exporters of U.S. hardwood companies and all the major U.S. hardwood product trade associations. From Washington, DC and five overseas offices, AHEC conducts a worldwide promotion programme with activities in more than 35 countries. AHEC offices in London, Osaka, Hong Kong, Mexico City and Shanghai are strategically located near key hardwood markets. AHEC’s policy is to develop worldwide markets for all species and thereby balance exports with what is growing inthe forest, now and in the future.
The American hardwood industry is facilitating the movement towards a more science-centered approach to green design using Life Cycle Assessment (LCA). Green building rating systems like BREEAM and LEED increasingly draw on LCA for the allocation of credits for building materials.
The American Hardwood Export Council has commissioned the largest ever LCA study in the international hardwood sector. PE International is undertaking the study in accordance with the ISO14040 series of standards. The study also includes assessment of the “carbon footprint” of U.S. hardwoods in line with the PAS 2050 standard and the international Green House Gas (GHG) Protocol.
A major output of the LCA study will be the preparation of Environmental ProductDeclarations (EPDs) for American hardwood products. EPDs are designed toallow fair comparison of the environmental performance of products throughprovision of structured, science based, and independently verified informationalong the product’s entire supply chain.