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Abstract
Using sustainable building materials is gaining a significant presence in the United States therefore proving sustainability claims are becoming increasingly more important. Showing wood products as green building materials is vital for the long-term productivity of the wood building industry. This study examined hardwood lumber manufacturing using Life-Cycle Inventory methodology. Material flow and energy type and use were identified for hardwood sawmills in the northeastern United States. A hardwood log volume conversion of 43.7% to planed dry lumber was found. Values of 608 MJ of electricity and 5,800 MJ of thermal energy per m3 were determined for the manufacturing of planed dry hardwood lumber burning mostly green wood residues on-site for energy. Emission data produced from modeling estimated biomass and fossil carbon dioxide production of 428 kg per m3 and 139 kg per m3, respectively. Increasing wood fuel use, a carbon-neutral process, would decrease the environmental impact of hardwood lumber manufacturing and increase its use as a green building material.
Keywords
Carbon dioxide,
sawmills,
energy conservation,
forest products industry,
environmental aspects,
Northeastern states,
building materials,
hardwoods,
lumber,
product life cycle,
service life,
sustainable forestry,
environmental indicators,
emissions,
building materials
Citation
Bergman, Richard D.; Bowe, S.A. 2007. Environmental impact of producing hardwood lumber using life-cycle inventory. Proceedings of the 10th International IUFRO Division 5 Wood Drying Conference : 2007 August 26-30, Orono, ME, The University of Maine. [S.l. : s.n.], 2007: 6 pages
