Life-Cycle Energy and GHG Emissions for New and Recovered Softwood Framing Lumber and Hardwood Flooring Considering End-of-Life Scenarios

Richard Bergman; Robert H. Falk; Hongmei Gu; Thomas R. Napier; Jamie Meil

doi:10.2737/FPL-RP-672

Treesearch

Life-Cycle Energy and GHG Emissions for New and Recovered Softwood Framing Lumber and Hardwood Flooring Considering End-of-Life Scenarios

Informally Refereed

Authors:

Richard Bergman, Robert H. Falk, Hongmei Gu, Thomas R. Napier, Jamie Meil

Year:

2013

Type:

Research Paper

Station:

Forest Products Laboratory

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.2737/FPL-RP-672

Source:

USDA Forest Service, Forest Products Laboratory, Research Paper, FPL-RP-672, 2013; 35 p.

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Download (PDF 1.14 MB): https://research.fs.usda.gov/download/treesearch/43547.pdf

Abstract

Within the green building fields is a growing movement to recover and reuse building materials in lieu of demolition and land fill disposal. However, they lack life-cycle data to help quantify environmental impacts. This study quantifies the primary energy and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions released from the production of wood recovered from an old house and from new wood harvested from the forest and produced in a sawmill with both products ending up installed in a new house. In addition, the study quantifies the primary energy and GHG emissions released if the recovered wood is not reused but instead is either burned to replace coal or natural gas to generate electricity, landfilled with or without landfill gas capture equipment, ground into mulch, or some combination.

Keywords

energy, carbon emissions, reuse, softwood framing lumber, hardwood flooring, life-cycle, life-cycle inventory, LCI, end-of-life, EOL

Citation

Bergman, Richard D.; Falk, Robert H.; Gu, Hongmei; Napier, Thomas R.; Meil, Jamie. 2013. Life-cycle energy and GHG emissions for new and recovered softwood framing lumber and hardwood flooring considering end-of-life scenarios. Res. Pap. FPL-RP-672. Madison, WI: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Forest Products Laboratory. 35 p.