Environmental Commitment
Eagle Soars To Preserve Ecosystem
Much has been said over the past year about what manufacturers are doing to help preserve the environment. Terms like "green," "sustainable forest products" and "environmentally-friendly" have crept into our vocabulary and are used on a daily basis. Media coverage has expanded and environmental groups are bringing to light many issues. With this in mind, Eagle Window & Door wants you to know it addresses these critical issues.
Preserving the environment now is as important to us as making a better window and door for the future. Eagle has and continues to strive to be a good corporate citizen. The goal is accomplished in part through maintaining a solid supplier base in the wood industry. Eagle is confident its vendors support suppliers that are committed to the precepts of Sustainable Forestry Management and are assured of their continued efforts of compliance.
Importantly, all indications show us that forests are now being managed more than ever to ensure there will always be a good supply of wood. According to the Window and Door Manufacturer's Association (WDMA), "wood is the most environmentally friendly of the major materials used in today's building industry. Unlike steel, aluminum and even Portland cement, wood is a completely renewable resource. Those other materials, once removed from the ground, can never be replaced. On the other hand, nearly two billion trees are replanted each year on public and private lands. Despite the fears of environmentalists, forested lands in the United States are not about to become extinct. The American Forest Council points out that nearly two-thirds of the area covered by forests in the 1400s are still forested today. Just five years ago, the USDA Forest Service said that forest growth, in terms of wood volume, actually exceeded harvest by approximately 37 percent. Over the past four decades, the yearly growth has exceeded harvest by an average of 25 percent. According to Dr. James Bowyer of the Department of Natural Resources, University of Minnesota, there has only been about a one percent loss in forest land in the nation in the past quarter century, mostly due to urban expansion and infrastructure development."1
Eagle's main source of raw materials comes from the pine forests of Northern California and Oregon. The hardwood forests of Wisconsin and Appalachia are a secondary source. Foreign sources may be used for occasional exotic wood requirements. As always, Eagle strives to use engineered wood products whenever possible. This helps facilitate the use of new-growth timber, reduces waste and extends the life of the world's native, old-growth forests. Laminated Veneer Lumber (LVL) is the sole framing material for their windows. It is a solid, highly predictable and uniform material that is sawn to consistent sizes and is virtually free from warping and splitting. The veneering and gluing process enables the end-product to be made from relatively small trees of many species, which provides for efficient utilization of wood fiber sources. Along with LVL, Eagle uses finger-jointed materials whenever possible. This takes advantage of cutaways and trimmed lumber while providing added strength to the product. Finally, Eagle employs the use of laminated door stiles and rails rather than using valuable solid woods.
While wood is important to Eagle, the company is also respecting the environment in many other ways. Eagle initiates a huge, on-going recycling program within its facility. Recycled materials include: cardboard, office paper, solvents, scrap aluminum, glass and wood fiber. These materials are shipped out on a daily basis to various recycling centers throughout the region. Eagle also utilizes a state-of-the-art, electrostatic paint system for its aluminum extrusions, which allows for efficient paint transfer. Paint filters are rated at 99% efficiency, thus reducing emissions. Water-based wood primers, topcoats and polyurethanes are used in lieu of oil-based products.
In conclusion, Eagle Window & Door is cognizant of its role in preserving the ecosystem. The company continues to be proactive and educated on this delicate subject and strives to manufacture innovative products that meet high standards for energy-efficiency and performance. Working in conjunction with the WDMA, the Hallmark Certification Program, the National Fenestration Rating Council (NFRC) and the Energy Star Program, Eagle is committed to its environment now and for future generations to come.
1 "Wood is Good," WDMA website, (nwwda.org).
