Mount Fuji upside-down? And it’s PEFC-certified!
28 August 2017 Sustainable construction
The final piece of the new Mount Fuji World Heritage Center in Japan is soon to be revealed. And the best part? The stunning structure is made from locally sourced wood from PEFC/SGEC-certified forests!
Built with local Japanese cypress wood, the striking latticework structure resembles Mount Fuji upside-down. It is also the first construction project in Japan to achieve PEFC project certification.
PEFC project certification
“We pioneered PEFC project certification to ensure that fantastic constructions such as this are able to take advantage of PEFC certification and demonstrate their sustainable credentials,” said Ben Gunneberg, CEO of PEFC International.
PEFC project certification provides independent verification that the building was constructed with certified timber, without the need for all sub-contractors to be certified.
“This beautiful building is a fantastic demonstration of what can be achieved using locally-produced, PEFC/SGEC-certified wood,” said Kiyoo Nakagawa, Chief Secretary of the Sustainable Green Ecosystem Council (SGEC), our national member for Japan.
“With the 2020 Tokyo Olympic and Paralympic Games around the corner, PEFC project certification and the use of PEFC/SGEC-certified timber is the perfect fit to ensure these games are the most environmentally-friendly ones to date,” Mr. Nakagawa continued.
Celebrating certification
The PEFC project certification certificate was presented at a special ceremony at the end of July. The ceremony was hosted by Japan Gas Appliances Inspection Association (JIA), the certification body responsible for verifying the use of certified timber within the building.
Amongst the attendants were the Mayor of Fuji City, Mr. Konagai, who is Chairman of Fuji District Forestry Promotion Association, as well as other officials from the local administrative bodies, the architectural sector, JIA and representatives from SGEC and the PEFC Asia Promotions team for Japan.