The future of the world’s forests depends greatly on the purchasing decisions of architects, specifiers and other green building professionals. The Lesser-Known Timber Species CEU is about sustainable design with wood materials, namely, specifying and sourcing alternative, unthreatened timber species responsibly. It gives an overview of the vital role forests play in maintaining biodiversity, climate and human well-being; the global threats to forests, including over exploitation of a small number of commercially-known timber species; and solutions such as using lesser-known species (LKS) with similar properties and the business and environmental benefits thereof. The course concludes with practical guidance and free, online resources building professionals can use to specify and source LKS.

Presented by various experts on behalf of World Wildlife Fund.