Bio-Based Materials for the Italian Construction …
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of a large amount of carbon into the structure (roughly 50% of the mass) (Villa et al.
2012).
The use of these construction technologies can provide several positive benefits
both in new buildings and in the refurbishment and retrofit of existing ones.
2.1 Timber in New Buildings
With respect to other structural traditional materials, e.g. concrete, the use of wood
for construction generally results in lower energy intensity and fossil-carbon emission (Gustavsson and Sathre 2006). Moreover, the Italian market is rapidly changing
due to a renewed interest in wood-based products and their outstanding mechanical
properties. Italian market is also supported by industries that, following this new
environmental trend, try to reach a local production by concentrating manufacturing,
as far as possible, in their own country. Since timber-framed panels are a valid prefabricated solution, their request for new construction has been constantly increasing
in the last ten years (Confindustria 2018).
For the production of wooden products, energy for drying, cutting, drilling and
planning is the only resource used: in this scenario, the energy balance for a wooden
building becomes particularly sustainable.
The results of a Life Cycle Assessment (LCA), from-cradle-to-gate, of a CLT
panel produced in Italy supported this thesis. This stimulates the exploitation of wood
and forests to create regenerative building products which promote a sustainable
management of the natural environment (Villa et al. 2012).
2.1.1
· CO 2 –Wood in Carbon Efficient Construction
‘Wood in carbon efficient construction’ was a research project, coordinated by Aalto
University, focused on the demonstration of the positive effects on climate of using
wood in construction. The findings are the result of a large transnational European
research project involving twenty organizations from five countries: Austria, Finland,
Germany, Italy and Sweden. Even if the current normative policy framework in these
emerging matters is still under development, the findings of
· CO 2 scientifically prove
that there are convincing advantages and potentials for using wood in construction
to mitigate climate change, whereas the forests are managed so as to maintain or
increase forest carbon stocks (Fig. 1).
The research filled in some knowledge gaps by applying advanced methods for
determining the carbon footprint of wooden buildings during their full life cycles.
A carbon footprint analysis of wooden buildings is more complex than that of many
other products, due to the dynamics of forest growth and the variety of byproducts generated. From a life cycle perspective, the environmental impact of wood is
strongly dependent on the management of forest and end-of-life (EoL) scenarios.
In LCA, assuming the forest system and the use of residues and related benefits as
239
of a large amount of carbon into the structure (roughly 50% of the mass) (Villa et al.
2012).
The use of these construction technologies can provide several positive benefits
both in new buildings and in the refurbishment and retrofit of existing ones.
2.1 Timber in New Buildings
With respect to other structural traditional materials, e.g. concrete, the use of wood
for construction generally results in lower energy intensity and fossil-carbon emission (Gustavsson and Sathre 2006). Moreover, the Italian market is rapidly changing
due to a renewed interest in wood-based products and their outstanding mechanical
properties. Italian market is also supported by industries that, following this new
environmental trend, try to reach a local production by concentrating manufacturing,
as far as possible, in their own country. Since timber-framed panels are a valid prefabricated solution, their request for new construction has been constantly increasing
in the last ten years (Confindustria 2018).
For the production of wooden products, energy for drying, cutting, drilling and
planning is the only resource used: in this scenario, the energy balance for a wooden
building becomes particularly sustainable.
The results of a Life Cycle Assessment (LCA), from-cradle-to-gate, of a CLT
panel produced in Italy supported this thesis. This stimulates the exploitation of wood
and forests to create regenerative building products which promote a sustainable
management of the natural environment (Villa et al. 2012).
2.1.1
· CO 2 –Wood in Carbon Efficient Construction
‘Wood in carbon efficient construction’ was a research project, coordinated by Aalto
University, focused on the demonstration of the positive effects on climate of using
wood in construction. The findings are the result of a large transnational European
research project involving twenty organizations from five countries: Austria, Finland,
Germany, Italy and Sweden. Even if the current normative policy framework in these
emerging matters is still under development, the findings of
· CO 2 scientifically prove
that there are convincing advantages and potentials for using wood in construction
to mitigate climate change, whereas the forests are managed so as to maintain or
increase forest carbon stocks (Fig. 1).
The research filled in some knowledge gaps by applying advanced methods for
determining the carbon footprint of wooden buildings during their full life cycles.
A carbon footprint analysis of wooden buildings is more complex than that of many
other products, due to the dynamics of forest growth and the variety of byproducts generated. From a life cycle perspective, the environmental impact of wood is
strongly dependent on the management of forest and end-of-life (EoL) scenarios.
In LCA, assuming the forest system and the use of residues and related benefits as