2nd Green Revolution-Centennial Woods: From Old Wyoming Snowfence to Green Design
Centennial Woods: From Old Wyoming Snow Fence to Green Design
by Chris DeArmond on February 10th, 2011
More than ten years ago, founder and CEO of Centennial Woods, John Pope, thought the replaced snow fences along Interstate 80 in Wyoming ought to end up somewhere else besides a landfill. After winning a contract to maintain snow fencing with the Wyoming Department of Transportation, this idea became a reality. Since then, the company has gradually been collecting and repurposing snow fence (over five-million linear feet so far), and selling it to homeowners, builders, and architects.
Repurposed snow fence might sound like a hard sell, but it is fundamentally appealing to environmentally conscious customers. In addition to several LEED certified projects, Centennial Woods’ snow fence was used as clad siding in a contemporary Net-Zero Home in Fraser, Colorado. Though all repurposed wood mitigates carbon dioxide emissions (the company estimates it has prevented 10,000 tons from being released), snow fence is distinctive because it is very low in volatile organic compounds. After harvesting the wood – which is made of Ponderosa Pine, Lodgepole Pine, Douglas Fir, and Spruce – workers inspect it, sort it by hand, and send it to customers. The snow fence does not undergo a chemical treatment process since the it has already been dried and colored naturally. These processes have lead to Centennial Woods becoming a member of the U.S. Green Building Council.
In addition to the obvious environmental appeal, repurposing snow fence is also a central part of Centennial Woods’ business. With the additional stream of revenue coming from the fencing, Centennial Woods is able work at a lower cost than state employees. This helps the company remain competitive, and has saved Wyoming and other entities in excess of $10 million since being established in 2009.
Centennial Woods’ snow fence also charms customers with a one-of-a-kind natural aesthetic. After being weathered by the Wyoming wind for decades, it is left with a vivid array of distinctive colors. (In the sample I received, the snow fence ranged from light gray to dark brown.) The weathering process also means the wood is not very uniform, though for buyers, this is more of a defining characteristic than a drawback. Aside from the color, customers can also choose to have the wood de-nailed, planed, or milled to suit different purposes. Most commonly, the snow fence is used for siding, paneling, flooring, ceilings, and wainscoting (pictures).
Though snow fence doesn’t work in all settings, it is surprisingly versatile given its origin. Increasingly, customers are using it to make furniture, doors, window trimming, and cabinetry–not bad for something that was being burned and thrown away. If you’re interested in snow fence, you can check out prices and order samples from their website (link above).
I would like to thank Kyle Henriksen and Laura Dupuis from Centennial Woods for answering all my questions in writing this article.
