- Consortium for Research on Renewable Industrial Materials
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Consortium for Research on Renewable Industrial Materials Abbreviation CORRIM Website http://www.corrim.org/ The Consortium for Research on Renewable Industrial Materials (CORRIM) is a non-profit organization dedicated to developing life-cycle assessment (LCA) data related to wood-based materials and energy, and their alternatives.
Contents
Research results
In general, the data generated through CORRIM research provide evidence for the favorable environmental-impact profile of wood products. Complete CORRIM reports are available from its website, and have been published by the Society of Wood Science and Technology in its journal (Wood and Fiber Science). The life cycle inventory (LCI) data developed by CORRIM are also available to the public from the US LCI Database Project.
History
CORRIM was organized to update and expand a 1976 report by the National Academy of Science that evaluated the impacts of producing and using renewable materials. A research plan for CORRIM was completed in 1998. Guidelines were developed for a Phase 1 Research plan in 2000 to compile life-cycle inventory (LCI) data for wood-based structural products (lumber, plywood, OSB, LVL, glulam and trusses) from the US Northwest and Southeast producing regions. Based on these data, LCA information was compiled to compare the impacts of representative residential houses framed with wood products, steel or concrete, in both a cold (Minneapolis) and warm (Atlanta) climate. A final report was made available for professional review in 2004 and was published after formal reviews in 2005. A Phase 2 Research Plan was initiated in 2004 to extend the coverage to US Northeast/Northcentral supply regions and to include hardwoods; to the US Inland West supply region to include the interaction with fire management; to a broader range of structures and geographic locations; and to include MDF, particleboard and resins as large volume non-structural uses of wood fiber.
Objectives
CORRIM’s research is focused on two objectives: 1) develop a database and modeling system for the life-cycle environmental performance measurements associated with wood-based materials and energy and, 2) respond to specific questions and issues related to environmental performance and the cost effectiveness of alternative resource management, materials selection and technology strategies.
Organization
CORRIM is a nonprofit research corporation with a voting board of directors representing independent research institutions. A number of companies offer support and contribute data. Voting members of CORRIM include representatives from North Carolina State University, the University of Idaho, the University of Washington, the University of Tennessee, Oregon State University, APA - The Engineered Wood Association, the Composite Panel Association Research Foundation, FP Innovations - FORINTEK, Mississippi State University, Pennsylvania State University, Purdue University, Syracuse University, the University of Maine, the University of Minnesota, Virginia Tech University, the Western Wood Products Association, Yale University, Louisiana State University and Washington State University. Non-voting advisors/cooperators (non-voting) include representatives from the USDA Forest Service and the US Dept. of Energy. Member Organizations include Weyerhaeuser Co., Simpson Timber Co., Green Diamond Resource Company, Plum Creek Timber Co., Georgia Pacific, Temple Inland, Louisiana-Pacific, ,Potlatch Corporation, Rayonier Inc. and Hampton Affiliates. Other Affiliates include the Athena Institute, the National Renewable Energy Laboratory -US LCI Database Project, the Environmental Protection Agency, the Rural Technology Initiative, CINTRAFOR (The Center for International Trade in Forest Products), Columbia-Pacific Resource Conservation & Economic Development District and the Pacific Forest Trust.
References
External links
Categories:- Non-profit organizations
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