As global concern surrounding the depletion of natural resources continues to mount, manufacturers are striving to develop new alternatives to natural materials that are not only inherently more environmentally friendly, but also “green” in their manufacturing processes. Power utilities are also seeking sustainable uses for the byproducts of burning coal for electricity. These byproducts offer alternatives to the natural materials manufacturers are looking for.
Century Products, LLC, is developing an “eco- friendly wood alternative” using fly ash as its main ingredient. The product, LifeTime Lumber™, has the look and feel of wood, yet costs less to produce, and meets desired environmental and commercial objectives. Wood product manufacturing is known for using water in excess and toxic chemicals, while producing wastewater that must be treated on site. Century’s energy-efficient manufacturing process consumes a minimal amount of water and produces zero wastewater emissions. What’s more, the product requires no chemical treatment.
Fly ash caught Century’s attention because of its chemical and physical attributes as the company sought material substitutes for wood. Fly ash offers a strong crystalline structure; its surface can be quickly and uniformly coated by liquid materials. These characteristics make fly ash compelling in terms of strength. Century also found fly ash readily available and relatively inexpensive.
Consumers benefit from the product’s combination of strength, weight, flexibility, water resistance and durability. The product can be nailed and sawed, just like wood. It comes in a variety of colors, does not rot, and is impervious to termites and is unaffected by the elements. LifeTime Lumber™ also has a Class B fire rating.
Ameren Energy Fuels and Services (AFS) provided initial funding for the research and development facility to perfect the process.  They also provided consultation in selecting and procuring ashes suitable for Century’s production. Century adds fly ash directly into the mix, thereby avoiding wood pulverization and plastic sorting/melting processes required by other composite manufacturers.
When Century was founded in 2002, the partners’ vision was to achieve the maximum degree of sustainability, balancing environmental, economic and social principals into the way they do business and how they manufacture.
In late 2006, LifeTime Lumber™ received recycled content certification from the International Organization for Standardization, U.S. Green Building Council and Scientific Certification Systems. With certification, Century’s product conforms to criteria under the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED®) Green Building Rating System™. Certification by LEED® is a nationally accepted benchmark for the design, construction and operation of high-performance green buildings. The program provides architects, engineers, interior designers, construction managers or anyone who is in the market for a green building product, with guidance and resources to improve their building’s performance.
With their environmentally friendly properties and manufacturing  process, as well as its ability to act as a durable alternative for wood in traditional applications, products like LifeTime Lumber™ offer potential opportunities for fly ash producers and marketers to find new uses for otherwise unusable byproducts or as  they’re known in the industry, “Coal Combustion Products.” Likewise, incorporating these types of products into construction crates a viable component for today’s burgeoning green construction industry.
This article was provide by Nisha Vyas Mahler, vice president of Century Products, LLC.
For more information on LifeTime Lumber™ call 760-634-6860 or visit them online at www.lifetimelumberproducts.com.