As a forest raw material processing company, at A-FOLD we are proud to have gained PEFC Certification, which confirms our attention and commitment to environmental protection in the construction of prefabricated wooden houses.
What is PEFC Certification?
Forest certification is a voluntary tool implemented through two separate but related processes: sustainable forest management certification and chain-of-custody certification.
Sustainable forest management certification ensures that forests are managed in line with stringent environmental, social and economic requirements.
Chain-of-custody certification enables traceability of forest products from sustainably managed forests to the final product. It demonstrates that each stage of the supply chain is carefully monitored through independent audits to ensure that unsustainable sources are excluded.
Companies that manage forest exploitation are audited, in accordance with PEFC standards, to exclude timber being illegally harvested, forest conservation being threatened, genetically modified organisms being introduced into cultivation, or workers’ civil rights being violated.
Forest certification was born in response to concerns about the conservation of the world’s forests. It developed following the 1992 United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED) in Brazil, which defined “sustainable development” as a common goal of human development.
PEFC was founded in 1999 in Europe. Since then, it has become the world’s largest forest certification system.
In Italy, PEFC Italy was established in 2001 at the behest of small forest owners, regions, trade associations, environmental associations and all forestry representatives in a participatory process that involved all stakeholders in the sector.
Why PEFC Certification?
Climate change is one of the greatest challenges currently facing humanity.
Forest certification is critical in providing evidence of sustainable forest management. It allows forest owners and managers to demonstrate that the practices they apply in the forest today are sustainable and that their forests meet both our needs and those of future generations.
It also serves as a tool for sustainability, enabling consumers and businesses to choose products from sustainable sources.
PEFC certification guarantees sustainably virtuous actions at all stages of wood processing, which explains the importance of a company like A-FOLD meeting these standards. At the initial stage of forest management, it specifically guarantees ecological, social and cultural respect for the environmental context, support for the health of forest ecosystems and the habitats of the animals that live there, the safety of future local communities and workers on site, and the safeguarding of future generations.
In the other stages of wood processing, PEFC-certified companies also ensure the use of sustainable raw materials, the guarantee that products have a legal and sustainable origin, and the traceability of material at all stages of production.
The sustainability of A-FOLD modular wooden houses
A-FOLD modular houses are built with wood from certified sustainably managed forests, with a sustainable construction process from start to finish. PEFC certification gives our products the added value of ecosystem protection and reduced environmental impact, thanks to the controlled sourcing of our raw materials.
A-FOLD houses offer the possibility of integrating solar panels and lithium-ion batteries for energy storage, becoming fully energy independent houses. An A-FOLD house can provide significant savings on energy bills and high energy efficiency, aspects related first and foremost to its construction materials.
