Fernow, chief of the Division of Forestry in the Department of Agriculture reported: The properties upon which the use of wood, its technology, are based, should be well known to the forest manager if he wishes to produce a crop of given quality useful for definite purposes.

[3] Research at the FPL has improved quality of life for nearly every American by facilitating breakthroughs in housing, packaging, recycling, and conservation of forest resources.

[7] The FPL has also made numerous important contributions to the country during its history, including crucial research for the armed forces during times of war.

These units utilize the testing resources of several laboratories and informational repositories located within numerous FPL campus facilities.

Collaboration on this research takes place with various other Federal agencies; state, local, and tribal governments; private industry and academic institutions.

This facility was built to meet qualifications for Silver certification by the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) rating system developed by the U.S. Green Building Council.

Modern preservation testing equipment will replace the older vessels previously used, while an efficient and manufacturing-friendly floor plan will help advance research in wood- and bio-based composites.

Both of these structures allow researchers to conduct housing-related studies in a real-world setting, which can significantly extend knowledge obtained in a laboratory environment.

Companies in the automotive, aerospace, electronics, consumer products, and medical device industries also see high potential for these innovative materials in a wide variety of applications.

The facility will support an emerging market for wood-derived renewable nanomaterials, helping to spur forest-based job growth and contribute an estimated $600 billion to the American economy by 2020.

Development and commercialization of new lightweight, high-performance wood-derived products can help reduce fossil fuel consumption and greenhouse gas emissions while increasing the potential for rural manufacturing opportunities, including the creation of many new high-paying jobs.

The Forest Product Lab's new facility will aid in the commercialization of these materials by providing researchers and early adopters of the technology with working quantities of forest-based nanomaterials.