Gate-to-gate Life-Cycle Inventory of Hardboard Production in North America

Abstract

Whole-building life-cycle assessments (LCAs) populated by life-cycle inventory (LCI) data are incorporated into environmental footprint software tools for establishing green building certification by building professionals and code. However, LCI data on some wood building products are still needed to help fill gaps in the data and thus provide a more complete picture for whole-buildings LCAs. Specifically, no LCI data are available in North America on producing hardboard and engineered wood siding and trim (EWST). This study used the internationally recognized LCI method to develop the gate-to-gate LCI data needed. Primary data were collected from four hardboard/EWST plants that represented over 42% of North American production. The primary data were then weight-averaged on a per-unit basis of 1.0 m³ of uncoated hardboard/EWST (768 ovendry (OD) kg/m³) to calculate material flows and energy use. Cumulative allocated energy consumption associated with manufacturing 1.0 m³ of uncoated hardboard/EWST from 843 OD kg of various woody biomass feedstocks was found to be 30.2 GJ, with 42% of the primary energy provided by burning wood residues. Emission data produced through modeling the production process found that estimated biomass and fossil carbon dioxide emissions were 1,070 and 705 kg/m³, respectively. Calculations estimated that 1.0 m³ of uncoated hardboard/EWST stores 1,340 kg CO₂-equivalents, assuming carbon content of wood is 50%. Therefore, the amount of carbon stored in hardboard/EWST is about 75% ofthe total carbon dioxide emitted during manufacturing. Once peer-reviewed and formatted, these LCI data will be uploaded to the U.S. LCI Database for other LCA practioners and environmental footprint software providers to use in developing whole-building LCAs.

Citation

Bergman, Richard. 2014. Gate-to-gate Life-Cycle Inventory of Hardboard Production in North America. In: Proceedings, 48th International Wood Composite Symposium. April 30-May 1, 2014. Seattle, WA. 9 p.