Cochran Fellowship Program - U.S. Softwoods for Structural Material: Quality, Grades, and Applications for Peru

The Cochran Fellowship Program's Latin America and Caribbean Region is requesting the design and delivery of a training program for a cohort of up to seven Fellows from Peru, currently consisting of (and subject to change): (1) Architect and Real Estate Supervisor for Fondo Mivienda S.A. (My Housing Fund)(1) Project Manager for Andina Proyectos (company)(1) CEO of Proycon Contratistas SAC(1) General Manager and Owner of Huayruro Furniture, Design, and Remodeling(1) Dean of Faculty for Architecture, Urbanism and Arts of Antenor Orrego Private University (1) CEO for the Peru Green Building Council(1) Executive President of National Construction Industry Training Service (SENCICO)

BACKGROUND

Since 1984, the U.S. Congress has made funds available to the Cochran Fellowship Program for training agriculturalists from middle-income countries, emerging markets, and emerging democracies. Training opportunities are for senior and mid-level specialists and administrators working in agricultural trade and policy, agribusiness development, management, animal, plant, and food sciences, extension services, agricultural marketing, and many other areas. Individuals selected for Cochran trainings come from both the public and private sectors. All training occurs in the United States. Training programs are designed and organized in conjunction with U.S. universities, USDA and other government agencies, agribusinesses, and consultants. The Cochran Fellowship Program is part of the United States Department of Agriculture's Foreign Agricultural Service. Since its start in 1984, the Cochran Fellowship Program has provided U.S.-based training for over 19,250 international participants from 127 countries worldwide.

SCOPE

Government officials, academia, and architects in Peru need to strengthen their knowledge of technical science-based wood housing building codes and structures. This program on U.S. Softwoods for Structural Material should provide training on the technical science-based standards used for U.S. wood housing building codes and introduce participants to U.S.

softwoods and engineered woods and their uses and qualities for building construction. The Fellows should have opportunities to visit softwood plantations, sawmills, wood grading, and standardization facilities, and to see examples of wood housing construction. The Fellows should also meet with representatives of the U.S. lumber industry, including the Softwood Export Council, Southern Wood Products Association, and Engineered Wood Association (APA) as well as with architects, engineers, and wood construction companies. The objective of the program is to build demand for U.S. softwood and engineered wood products in Peru. The goal of the program is to increase the Fellows' capacity for agricultural research, extension, and teaching.

LEARNING OBJECTIVES

The recipient will ensure that the Fellows increase their knowledge in the following areas:

Overview of U.S. lumber:

Types of U.S. lumber: classification, grades, and sizes (nominal vs. actual)

ASTM standards development process

Physical and mechanical properties, including resistance capacity

Production of sawn wood

Production of pressure treated wood, including pressure treated wood studs

Technology used for selecting lumber, treatments for preservation, and wood testing

Engineered woods: wood-plastic composites, cross-laminated timber (CLT), and plywood OSB beams

Uses and characteristics of engineered woods for construction, including fire resistance

Wood housing construction:

Benefits of building with lumber over other materials

Practical wood frame design, balloon framing, and wood flooring

Using lumber in large scale construction

U.S. standard construction standards, practices, and safety codes

Construction for tropical climates, rural housing, and structure reinforcement forearthquakes

Green building: tiny houses, energy efficiency, low ecological impact, and reducingwaste

Wood construction solutions for social housing, including multifamily buildings

Prefabricated house construction

Wood trailer construction

Improving building speed: pre-fabrication and tools for increasing efficiency

Marketing wood construction:

Strategies for advertising advantages and sustainability of wood buildings and explaining benefits to clients