05/27/2026
Earlier this month, SBIO’s Brian Bond in conjunction with Matthew Labrenze, Forest Products Specialist, Alaska Lumber Grading Program, UAF Cooperative Extension Services, delivered two full-day workshops in Fairbanks and Palmer focused on the design, operation, and application of solar lumber drying technology.
The workshops were organized in collaboration with the University of Alaska Fairbanks Cooperative Extension Service as part of their focus on the Alaska Lumber Grading Program. The Alaska Lumber Grading Program (ALG) is a state-developed training and certification program that allows small- and medium-scale sawmill operators in Alaska to visually grade and self-certify locally produced dimension lumber for certain residential structural applications without participating in the traditional third-party grade-stamp system used across North America.
Hosted at the National Laboratory of the Rockies, Alaska Campus, and the Matanuska Experiment Farm and Extension Center, the workshops provided participants with hands-on instruction and discussion on solar kiln construction, operation, and adaptation for northern environments. Attendees included wood producers, landowners, woodworkers, and forestry professionals interested in improving lumber quality and creating greater value from local wood resources.
Participants explored key concepts in wood drying, including moisture management, kiln sizing, collector orientation, lumber stacking, defect reduction, and practical approaches to achieving high-quality dried lumber using passive solar energy. The workshops emphasized how solar kilns can serve as an accessible, low-cost technology for small-scale and remote operations where conventional kiln infrastructure may be limited.
Bond’s work on solar lumber drying builds on decades of applied research and Extension programming focused on increasing the sustainable use and value of wood products. Solar lumber drying offers a practical pathway to support local forest-based economies while reducing energy demand and improving access to properly dried material for manufacturing and construction applications.
We’re proud to see our department’s expertise helping communities across the country innovate with renewable, locally sourced materials!
