Comparative carbon footprint estimation of three types of wooden door: A case study from China

Abstract

As one of the most vital wood-based products, the carbon footprint of wooden doors has received increasing attention in recent years. The studies on the carbon footprints of different types of wooden doors are few. In this study, the cradle-to-grave carbon footprints of three types of wooden doors produced in China were comparatively analyzed. Models used for calculating the total life-cycle carbon footprint of a wood-based composite door, a solid wood composite door, and a solid wood door were developed. Considering the biogenic carbon storage and its delayed emissions, the wood-based composite door, solid wood composite door, and solid wood door featured carbon footprints of 0.379, 0.257, and −0.277 kg CO2 e per kg product, respectively. The solid wood door exhibited a negative carbon footprint, indicating that its carbon storage was higher than the carbon emission during the life cycle stage. The raw material acquisition (38%–66%) and the transportation stages (23%–38%) of the three types of wooden doors were the main contributors to the total carbon footprints (excluding the biogenic carbon). The product manufacturing stage released relatively small emissions (11%–24%). The waste disposal treatment at the end-of-life phase, the degradation of wood materials in landfills, and their service life displayed significant impacts on the carbon footprints of the three types of wooden doors. Fiberboard, laminated veneer lumber, sawn lumber, finger-jointed lumber, and electricity were identified as the main emission hotspots. This study provides guidelines for low-carbon development in the wooden door industry.