Life-cycle
analysis: The environmental proof of wood
The results are in: According to the Athena Model, wood is a greener choice than
steel and concrete, based on its life cycle attributes. The Athena Model was
developed by Canada’s Athena Sustainable Materials Institute to assist
architects, engineers, and planners to evaluate the environmental
considerations of building materials. The institute’s research shows that wood
is a more environmentally benign material than steel or concrete in terms of
energy use, production of greenhouse gases, air and water pollution, production
of solid waste. and overall ecological resource use.
Sustainability Attribute Wood Steel
Concrete
Total energy
use
Lowest 140% more 70% more
Greenhouse
gases
Lowest 45%
more 81% more
Air
pollution
Lowest 42% more
67% more
Water
pollution
Lowest 1900% more 90% more
Solid
waste
Lowest 36%
more 96% more
Ecological resource use
Lowest 16%
more 97% more
Source: Athena Institute
research
shows that wood is a more environmentally benign material than steel or
concrete in terms of energy use, production of greenhouse gases, air
and water pollution, production of solid waste. and overall ecological
resource use.
Sustainability Attribute Wood Steel Concrete
Total energy use Lowest 140% more 70% more
Greenhouse gases Lowest 45% more 81% more
Air pollution Lowest 42% more 67% more
Water pollution Lowest 1900% more 90% more
Solid waste Lowest 36% more 96% more
Ecological resource use Lowest 16% more 97% more
Source: Athena Institute
The
model itself compares wood, steel, and concrete from resource
extraction, to manufacturing, to on-site construction, to building
occupancy, to building demolition, and ultimate to the building
material’s disposal, reuse, or recycling. Based on the findings, wood’s
high insulating properties, recycling and resource recovery rates, and
low pollution rates in harvesting and milling show wood to be a most
sustainable and environmentally friendly building material of the three
under review.
“Because the manufacturing of wood products is less
energy intensive than that for other materials, including steel
produced with some percentage of recycled material, the finished product
has lower embodied energy,” says Kenneth Bland, P.E., senior director
of Building Codes for the American Wood Council, supporting the
research. “Any full life cycle analysis comparing wood to steel in
residential structures shows wood to be environmentally superior.”
Similarly,
statistics published by APA–The Engineered Wood Association demonstrate
that the energy required to produce one ton of wood is much less than
that for other materials.
Compared to the energy required to produce a ton of wood, it takes:
· 5 times more energy to produce 1 ton of cement
· 14 times more energy to produce 1 ton of glass.
· 24 times more energy to produce 1 ton of steel.
· 126 times more energy to produce 1 ton of aluminum.
APA also
points out that wood products make up 47% of all industrial raw
materials manufactured in the U.S, yet consume only 4% of the total
energy needed to manufacture all industrial raw materials. - See more
at:
http://www.bdcnetwork.com/using-wood-sustainable-design-construction-1#sthash.W2spxACr.dpuf
shows that wood is a more environmentally benign material than steel or
concrete in terms of energy use, production of greenhouse gases, air
and water pollution, production of solid waste. and overall ecological
resource use.
Sustainability Attribute Wood Steel Concrete
Total energy use Lowest 140% more 70% more
Greenhouse gases Lowest 45% more 81% more
Air pollution Lowest 42% more 67% more
Water pollution Lowest 1900% more 90% more
Solid waste Lowest 36% more 96% more
Ecological resource use Lowest 16% more 97% more
Source: Athena Institute
The
model itself compares wood, steel, and concrete from resource
extraction, to manufacturing, to on-site construction, to building
occupancy, to building demolition, and ultimate to the building
material’s disposal, reuse, or recycling. Based on the findings, wood’s
high insulating properties, recycling and resource recovery rates, and
low pollution rates in harvesting and milling show wood to be a most
sustainable and environmentally friendly building material of the three
under review.
“Because the manufacturing of wood products is less
energy intensive than that for other materials, including steel
produced with some percentage of recycled material, the finished product
has lower embodied energy,” says Kenneth Bland, P.E., senior director
of Building Codes for the American Wood Council, supporting the
research. “Any full life cycle analysis comparing wood to steel in
residential structures shows wood to be environmentally superior.”
Similarly,
statistics published by APA–The Engineered Wood Association demonstrate
that the energy required to produce one ton of wood is much less than
that for other materials.
Compared to the energy required to produce a ton of wood, it takes:
· 5 times more energy to produce 1 ton of cement
· 14 times more energy to produce 1 ton of glass.
· 24 times more energy to produce 1 ton of steel.
· 126 times more energy to produce 1 ton of aluminum.
APA also
points out that wood products make up 47% of all industrial raw
materials manufactured in the U.S, yet consume only 4% of the total
energy needed to manufacture all industrial raw materials. - See more
at:
http://www.bdcnetwork.com/using-wood-sustainable-design-construction-1#sthash.W2spxACr.dpuf
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