Abstract
SummarySustainable use of wood may contribute to coping with energy and material resource challenges. The goal of this study is to increase knowledge of the environmental effects of wood use by analyzing the complete value chain of all wooden goods produced or consumed in Switzerland. We start from a material flow analysis of current wood use in Switzerland. Environmental impacts related to the material flows are evaluated using life cycle assessment–based environmental indicators. Regarding climate change, we find an overall average benefit of 0.5 tonnes carbon dioxide equivalent per cubic meter of wood used. High environmental benefits are often achieved when replacing conventional heat production and energy‐consuming materials in construction and furniture. The environmental performance of wood is, however, highly dependent on its use and environmental indicators. To exploit the mitigation potential of wood, we recommend to (1) apply its use where there are high substitution benefits like the replacement of fossil fuels for energy or energy‐intensive building materials, (2) take appropriate measures to minimize negative effects like particulate matter emissions, and (3) keep a systems perspective to weigh effects like substitution and cascading against each other in a comprehensive manner. The results can provide guidance for further in‐depth studies and prospective analyses of wood‐use scenarios.
Highlights
Wood can be a large sink for carbon dioxide (CO2) and is a multifunctional renewable resource suitable for various material and energy purposes
Environmental impact calculations are based on life cycle inventories (LCIs) from ecoinvent 3.1 in the cut-off allocation system model (Wernet et al 2016)
Results are shown for ecological scarcity, ReCiPe total (ReCiPe, total), particulate matter formation (ReCiPe, PMFP), climate-change impacts (IPCC 2013), and cumulative energy demand for fossil energy (CED, fossil)
Summary
Wood can be a large sink for carbon dioxide (CO2) and is a multifunctional renewable resource suitable for various material and energy purposes. The climate mitigation potential of forests is currently not exploited to the full extent. Such increasing wood stocks are less favorable for carbon sequestration than when they are utilized at their incremental growth rate (e.g., Walz et al 2010; Werner et al 2010). The sequestration potential in aging forests or wood products is often much smaller than the mitigation potential of wood replacing nonwood products (UBA 2015). These developments call for new strategies facilitating sustainable wood mobilization and use. An important basis is the provisioning of a quantitative system analysis on environmental benefits and impacts
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
