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Comparative Life Cycle Assessment of Mass Timber and Concrete Residential Buildings: A Case Study in China

Author

Listed:
  • Cindy X. Chen

    (Population Research Center, Portland State University, Portland, OR 97201, USA)

  • Francesca Pierobon

    (School of Environmental and Forest Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA)

  • Susan Jones

    (College of Built Environments, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA
    Atelierjones LLC, Seattle, WA 98101, USA)

  • Ian Maples

    (Atelierjones LLC, Seattle, WA 98101, USA)

  • Yingchun Gong

    (Institute of Wood Industry, Chinese Academy of Forestry, Beijing 100091, China)

  • Indroneil Ganguly

    (School of Environmental and Forest Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA)

Abstract

As the population continues to grow in China’s urban settings, the building sector contributes to increasing levels of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Concrete and steel are the two most common construction materials used in China and account for 60% of the carbon emissions among all building components. Mass timber is recognized as an alternative building material to concrete and steel, characterized by better environmental performance and unique structural features. Nonetheless, research associated with mass timber buildings is still lacking in China. Quantifying the emission mitigation potentials of using mass timber in new buildings can help accelerate associated policy development and provide valuable references for developing more sustainable constructions in China. This study used a life cycle assessment (LCA) approach to compare the environmental impacts of a baseline concrete building and a functionally equivalent timber building that uses cross-laminated timber as the primary material. A cradle-to-gate LCA model was developed based on onsite interviews and surveys collected in China, existing publications, and geography-specific life cycle inventory data. The results show that the timber building achieved a 25% reduction in global warming potential compared to its concrete counterpart. The environmental performance of timber buildings can be further improved through local sourcing, enhanced logistics, and manufacturing optimizations.

Suggested Citation

  • Cindy X. Chen & Francesca Pierobon & Susan Jones & Ian Maples & Yingchun Gong & Indroneil Ganguly, 2021. "Comparative Life Cycle Assessment of Mass Timber and Concrete Residential Buildings: A Case Study in China," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(1), pages 1-17, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:14:y:2021:i:1:p:144-:d:709870
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Cindy X. Chen & Francesca Pierobon & Indroneil Ganguly, 2019. "Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) of Cross-Laminated Timber (CLT) Produced in Western Washington: The Role of Logistics and Wood Species Mix," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(5), pages 1-17, February.
    2. Haibo Guo & Ying Liu & Yiping Meng & Haoyu Huang & Cheng Sun & Yu Shao, 2017. "A Comparison of the Energy Saving and Carbon Reduction Performance between Reinforced Concrete and Cross-Laminated Timber Structures in Residential Buildings in the Severe Cold Region of China," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 9(8), pages 1-15, August.
    3. Galina Churkina & Alan Organschi & Christopher P. O. Reyer & Andrew Ruff & Kira Vinke & Zhu Liu & Barbara K. Reck & T. E. Graedel & Hans Joachim Schellnhuber, 2020. "Buildings as a global carbon sink," Nature Sustainability, Nature, vol. 3(4), pages 269-276, April.
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