About

Omar Espinoza is a Professor and Co-Director of the Sustainable Systems Management undergraduate program at the Department of Bioproducts and Biosystems Engineering at the University of Minnesota Twin Cities. His educational background includes a Ph.D. in Forestry and Forest Products from Virginia Tech, an M.Sc. in Forest and Forest Products from Virginia Tech, a Masters in International Business from Florida International University, and a B.S. in Production Engineering from Universidad Privada Boliviana. His areas of interest encompass marketing and management of biobased products, circular economy, process improvement, supply chain management, performance measurement, product development, and environmental certification. He teaches courses related to sustainable manufacturing principles and practices, sustainable product systems management, and marketing of biobased products. His research contributions include studies on forest certification, cross-laminated timber, urban and reclaimed wood industries, wood drying technology, biomass cogeneration, and stakeholder perspectives in forest management. Espinoza's work emphasizes sustainable practices within the forest products industry and the development of environmentally responsible bioproducts.

Research topics

• Economics
• Marketing
• Political Science
• Engineering
• Business
• Environmental science
• Civil engineering
• Environmental resource management
• Management

Selected publications

• Policies and Initiatives to Support the Increased Utilization of Urban and Reclaimed Wood in the United States

  DOAJ (DOAJ: Directory of Open Access Journals) · 2026-02-01

  articleOpen access1st authorCorresponding

  This study investigated initiatives to increase the utilization of urban and reclaimed wood across the United States. As society moves towards a circular economy, finding higher value uses for wood from urban trees and decommissioned buildings will contribute to reducing the environmental impacts of landfilling. It will also create jobs and business opportunities. The key findings of this study show policy and program implementation as critical tools for urban and reclaimed wood utilization, including various features in terms of organization, motivation, and funding. Different stakeholders have developed and implemented a wide variety of efforts to make the urban and reclaimed wood industry a fast-growing sector. Results showed that initiatives produce many positive environmental, social, and economic impacts, but that they require community engagement, extensive collaboration and partnerships, as well as unique operational approaches.

  Publisher

• Policies and initiatives to support the increased utilization of urban and reclaimed wood in the United States

  BioResources · 2026-01-01

  articleOpen access1st authorCorresponding

  This study investigated initiatives to increase the utilization of urban and reclaimed wood across the United States. As society moves towards a circular economy, finding higher value uses for wood from urban trees and decommissioned buildings will contribute to reducing the environmental impacts of landfilling. It will also create jobs and business opportunities. The key findings of this study show policy and program implementation as critical tools for urban and reclaimed wood utilization, including various features in terms of organization, motivation, and funding. Different stakeholders have developed and implemented a wide variety of efforts to make the urban and reclaimed wood industry a fast-growing sector. Results showed that initiatives produce many positive environmental, social, and economic impacts, but that they require community engagement, extensive collaboration and partnerships, as well as unique operational approaches.

  PublisherDOI

• A Specialized Data Crawler for Urban Wood Information

  Forest Products Journal · 2023-10-01

  articleOpen accessSenior author

  Abstract The Internet is composed of >50 billion Web pages and grows larger every day. As the number of links and specialty subject areas increases, it becomes ever more difficult to find pertinent information. For some subject areas, special purpose data crawlers continually search the Internet for specific information; examples include real estate, air travel, auto sales, and others. The use of such special purpose data crawlers (i.e., targeted crawlers and knowledge databases), also allows the collection and analysis of agricultural and forestry data. Such single-purpose crawlers can search for hundreds of keywords and use machine learning to determine whether or not what is found is relevant. In this paper, we examine the design and data return of such a specialty knowledge database and crawler system developed to find information related to urban wood utilization—products made from timber harvested in cities and municipalities. Our search engine uses intelligent software to locate and update pertinent references related to urban wood as well as to categorize information with respect to common application and interest areas. At the time of this publication, the urban wood knowledge database has cataloged >700 publications regarding various aspects of urban wood.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• Professionals’ Feedback on the PEFC Fair Supply Chain Project Activated in Italy after the “Vaia” Windstorm

  Forests · 2021 · 5 citations

  • Political Science
  • Business
  • Marketing

  In the fall of 2018, the “Vaia” windstorm grounded around 8.5 million m3 of timber in northeastern Italy. Soon after, the Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification (PEFC) Italy activated a project called “fair supply chain” to promote the purchase of timber from the damaged areas at a reasonable price. The initiative was addressed at forest owners, forest and processing enterprises, retailers, and supporting organizations. This study reports the results of a survey performed to assess the effectiveness of the project two years after its launch. The survey, in the form of a questionnaire submitted to all adhering organizations, investigated different aspects such as motivations for adherence to the project, satisfaction with the project, sale of the labeled material, and promotion of the specific label. The results provide a detailed outline of the above aspects. Through the various findings, the project is perceived as effective in supporting the region, enhancing an organizations’ image, and limiting price fall. Yet, further efforts should be aimed at increasing networking and business opportunities. Some recommendations are also offered for similar projects in the future, as forest disturbances are increasing worldwide in frequency and intensity due to climate change.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• Trends in the U.S. forest products sector, markets, and technologies

  2020-10-23 · 3 citations

  book-chapterOpen access1st authorCorresponding

  The forest products sector plays a critical role in the economic and social well-being of the United States. The country is the top producer and consumer of forest products, and it has the highest per capita industrial wood consumption. Nevertheless, the country’s forest area has not changed in over a century, owing in part to sound forest management practices and a strong tradition of wood utilization. Cyclical and long-term trends, such as the Great Recession of 2007 to 2009, changing consumer demand, globalization of manufacturing, and emergence of substitute materials, have had negative impacts on the U.S. forest products industry in the last two decades. Sustainable management of U.S. forests has in turn been negatively affected, as strong forest products markets are vital to the health and resilience of U.S. forest lands and forest-dependent communities. However, there are promising opportunities for the forest products sector, including increased interest in renewable materials and energy, increasing demand for wood-based energy products, expanding nanotechnology applications, the emergence of mass timber, and increased use of wood in large-scale construction. This paper presents the major market trends affecting the U.S. forest products sector and discusses potential scenarios over the next 20 years.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• A Specialized Data Crawler for Cross-Laminated Timber Information Resources

  Forest Products Journal · 2020-01-01 · 2 citations

  articleOpen access

  Abstract The Internet is composed of more than 6.2 billion Web pages and grows larger every day. As the number of links and specialty subject areas grows, it becomes ever more difficult to find pertinent information. For some subject areas, special-purpose data crawlers continually search the Internet for specific information; examples include real estate, air travel, auto sales, and others. The use of such special-purpose data crawlers (i.e., targeted crawlers and knowledge databases) also allows the collection and analysis of agricultural and forestry data. Such single-purpose crawlers can search for hundreds of key words and use machine learning to determine if what is found is relevant. In this article, we examine the design and data return of such a specialty knowledge database and crawler system developed to find information related to cross-laminated timber (CLT). Our search engine uses intelligent software to locate and update pertinent references related to CLT as well as to categorize information with respect to common application and interest areas. At the time of this publication, the CLT knowledge database has cataloged nearly 3,000 publications regarding various aspects of CLT.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• The case for urban and reclaimed wood in the circular economy

  BioResources · 2020 · 29 citations

  • Business
  • Marketing
  • Engineering

  Circular economy production, or upcycling of traditional waste products, has evolved in alignment with consumer driven accountability and demand for environmentally friendly alternatives. In recent years, industries have emerged to upcycle materials for value-added production. This paper presents case study interview results used to gather information about current marketing practices within the urban and reclaimed wood industries, which upcycles trees felled in urban areas and wood generated through construction and demolition. Firms reported entering the industry for a variety of reasons, most frequently surrounding intangible raw material and product attributes. Interviewees reported generating primarily made-to-order products, made-to-stock furniture, mantels, slabs, lumber, beams, flooring, millwork, and other products priced largely in line with their competition. Promotion consisted primarily of word of mouth, company webpages, social media, and event participation, such as craft fairs or trade shows. Firms relayed messages of sustainability, local production, quality, and emotional value. Companies primarily participate in direct, retail, or online sales, which have become increasingly prevalent. This paper outlines opportunities to explore, as well as barriers to overcome through examination of strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats present in the internal and external environments of the urban and reclaimed wood industries.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• Marketing Practices in the Urban and Reclaimed Wood Industries

  BioProducts Business · 2019-02-17 · 5 citations

  articleOpen access

  In the US, trees felled in urban areas and wood generated through construction and demolition (C&D) are primarily disposed of as low value resources, largely sent to landfills or utilized for energy, composting, and landscaping mulch. In recent years, the urban and reclaimed wood industries have emerged to provide a higher value-added outlet, foster local economies, and divert supplies to landfills. This paper presents the results of a nationwide survey carried out to understand marketing practices of the urban and reclaimed wood industries. Results indicate a majority of respondents were small firms operating for less than 10 years and appealing to consumers between 35 and 54 years of age with upper middle income status. Products and species were variable between firms, and sales were largely made-to-order and priced higher than similar products made from traditional sources. Primary promotional messages include quality, aesthetics, and customization, largely advertised via company webpage, word of mouth, and social media. Prevalent distribution channels include direct sales, online sales, and retail sales. Partnerships appear to be critical for effective raw material procurement, and despite barriers associated with urban and reclaimed wood materials and production, growth expectations were unanimously optimistic, as reported by participating firms.

  Publisher

• Marketing of Urban and Reclaimed Wood Products

  Research Repository (Delft University of Technology) · 2019-01-01 · 1 citations

  articleOpen access1st authorCorresponding

  In the United States, trees felled in urban areas and wood generated through construction and demolition are primarily disposed of as low-value resources, such as biomass for energy, landscaping mulch, composting, or landfill. An emerging industry makes use of these underutilized resources to produce high-value added products, with associated benefits for the environment, the local economy, and consumers. Research was carried out to increase the understanding of the marketing practices of urban and reclaimed wood industries. This paper presents the results from a nationwide survey of these companies. The results indicate that a majority of companies in this industry are small firms, operating for less than 10 years, produce mostly to order, and sell their products at comparatively higher prices than similar products made from traditional sources. Promotional messages included quality, aesthetics, and customization, conveyed through company webpages, word of mouth, and social media. Distribution channels used include direct sales, online sales, and retail sales. Partnerships are critical for effective raw material procurement. Respondents indicated optimistic growth expectations, despite barriers associated with urban and reclaimed wood materials and production.

  Publisher

• Cross-Laminated Timber in the USA: Opportunity for Hardwoods?

  Current Forestry Reports · 2018-01-30 · 58 citations

  article1st authorCorresponding
  PublisherDOI

Frequent coauthors

• Urs Buehlmann

  23 shared

• Brian Bond

  Virginia Tech

  10 shared

• Matthew Bumgardner

  Northern Research Station

  8 shared

• Jaime A. Valderrama

  Arturo Prat University

  8 shared

• Maria Fernanda Laguarda Mallo

  University of Minnesota System

  7 shared

• Anna Pitti

  Virginia Tech

  6 shared

• Robert L. Smith

  University of Michigan–Ann Arbor

  5 shared

• Antonieta Rojas de Árias

  4 shared