Acetylated wood is produced only with abundantly available wood species from certified, sustainably managed forests and plantations, including Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) and other regionally certified woods. It is compliant with the European Union Timber Regulation (EUTR), and therefore responsible production is guaranteed.

Fast-growing softwood species such as radiata pine are primarily used. Considering the increasing pressure on available resources, the use of wood species that produce larger volumes of wood over the same time span for the same area of land offers obvious environmental advantages.

Use phase
Due to its myriad improved properties—such as increased durability, improved thermal insulation, and longer coating life resulting from greater dimensional stability—acetylated wood provides several environmental gains during its use phase.

Due to its light color, acetylated wood has low initial solar reflectance (SR) as tested and reported by Intertek under ASTM C1549-09, Standard Test Method for Determination of Solar Reflectance Near Ambient Temperature Using a Portable Solar Reflectometer. This means it reflects solar radiance and prevents surfaces from warming up too much (i.e. heat island effect). Acetylated wood has an SR value of 0.70, easily meeting the SR requirement of 0.33 that is cited in the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED v4) Building Design and Construction (BD+C) program credit, Heat Island Effect.

The material carries a Class 1 durability rating—the highest possible—under EN 350, Durability of Wood and Wood-based Products–Testing and Classification of the Durability to Biological Agents of Wood and Wood-based Materials. Acetylated wood also has extensive quality certifications (including KOMO, RAL, British Board of Agrément [BBA], and Window and Door Manufacturers Association [WDMA]) and a Class C flame spread rating in accordance with ASTM E84, Standard Test Method for Surface Burning Characteristics of Building Materials, which is commonly accepted as an alternative to CAN/ULC-S102, Standard Test Method for Surface Burning Characteristics of Building Materials and Assemblies. The material can be fire treated for further protection, and in some cases is guaranteed to last 50 years above ground and 25 years in direct soil contact. This facilitates a longer life span, which enables lower material consumption over the same period compared to most other materials.

Acetylated wood has carbon sequestration advantages, as it locks in CO₂ from the atmosphere for a longer time. In fact, because of low emissions during production combined with the increased lifespan and good recyclability, acetylated window frames may even be CO₂ neutral over the full life cycle, per a report translated into real-life application of a window frame by Delft University of Technology. When the radiata pine used to make acetylated wood in the Netherlands is compared to non-acetylated Western red cedar in the United States, a calculation of CO₂ emissions shows although the intercontinental transport distance may be high, in many instances, the annual transport emissions of acetylated radiata pine are competitive. Sea transport—an efficient, low-emissions way to move radiata pine—along with its low weight and long lifespan can contribute to this.

Combined with the increased durability, some acetylated wood has a planned service life of 77 to 90 years, depending on exposure conditions. The material’s elevated dimensional stability also requires less frequent coatings maintenance. Additionally, compared to other durable wood species, it offers superior thermal insulation, which yields energy conservation advantages in applications such as window frames.