The Biggest Waste in Construction (and How to Fix It)

What if the wood we throw away could build the cities of tomorrow? 🌍 Every year, millions of tons of “waste wood” from storms, demolition, and urban trees are trashed. But companies like Cambium are turning salvaged lumber into carbon-smart building materials . From mass timber buildings to sustainable furniture, this shift could change the future of construction forever. In this Conscious Design Podcast, Cambium co-founder Theo Hooker reveals how their “Uber for Logs” platform is reshaping the circular economy of wood with full carbon tracking, supply chain transparency, and scalable solutions for architects, builders, and designers. 👉 If you care about sustainable construction, mass timber, or circular economy materials , this episode is packed with insights you won’t want to miss. 🔎 This episode covers: Why waste wood is the hidden solution for sustainable construction How Cambium created an “Uber for Logs” platform for arborists & sawmills Mass timber, millwork, and furniture made from salvaged lumber The rise of thermally modified wood in design and architecture How circular forestry and carbon-smart wood support climate action ⏩ Jump to your favorite parts: 00:00 - Welcome to Conscious Design Podcast 00:37 - Meet Theo Hooker: Co-Founder of Cambium 00:56 - The Genesis of Cambium: Combining Technology and Lumber 01:27 - Addressing Climate Change with Innovative Solutions 05:56 - Cambium's Product and Service Offerings 07:42 - Innovations in Lumber Supply and Transportation 23:02 - Thermally Modified Wood: A Sustainable Solution 30:45 - Grading and Utilizing Salvaged Material 33:55 - Connecting the Dots in the Lumber Industry About Theo Hooker and Cambium Theo Hooker is the Co-Founder and Chief Commercial Officer at Cambium, where he leads sales and supply teams to bring salvaged lumber and waste wood to market while supporting the supply needs of enterprise clients. Cambium makes it easy to buy, sell, move, and track fiber through a transparent digital platform. Working across the entire lumber supply chain, Cambium maximizes the use of salvaged material at the best value while delivering carbon tracking and supply chain transparency data for architects, builders, and manufacturers. 🔗𝗖𝗼𝗻𝗻𝗲𝗰𝘁 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 Theo Hooker and Cambium Website: LinkedIn: Instagram: Facebook: 𝗚𝗲𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 “𝗖𝗼𝗻𝘀𝗰𝗶𝗼𝘂𝘀 𝗗𝗲𝘀𝗶𝗴𝗻” 𝗯𝗼𝗼𝗸: Learn more: Want to turn visionary ideas into market-ready, sustainable products? 👉 🤝 𝗟𝗲𝘁’𝘀 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝗻𝗲𝗰𝘁: Instagram: / cdesignhaus TikTok: / consciousdesign LinkedIn: / conscious-designhaus X (Twitter): 🗨️ Would you choose salvaged wood over traditional lumber if it was available in your next project? Share your thoughts in the comments! 🔔 Enjoyed this episode? Like,

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The Biggest Waste in Construction (and How to Fix It) is an episode from Conscious Design Podcast™ by Ian Peterman.

This episode is 00:38:56 long.

This episode was published on Sep 26, 2025.

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