24/06/2013
Integrated modelling and
performance of built environments’ workshop
24th June 2013
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Desmond Dolan | PhD Research Student
desmond.dolan@nuigalway.ie
Supervisor: Dr. Annette Harte
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Climate Change.
Under the Kyoto
Agreement a 20%
reduction CO2 emissions
by 2020 is required by
Ireland.
Building and
construction industry
responsible for 50% of
global GHG emissions.
(Heinonen, 2011)
LCA involves analysing all inputs and
outputs at each phase of a products life
cycle:

Inputs: Energy, Water, Raw Materials.
Outputs: Products, Co-Products,
Emissions to Air, Water and
Land.
LCA is defined by the ISO 14000 series.

Reuse
LCA would provide wood product
manufacturers with the necessary data
for the development of environmental
product declarations (EPDs).
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The use of sustainable construction materials,
such as wood, has a major role to play in
reducing our carbon footprint.
Only renewable major
building material.
Operational properties.
Carbon pools in
Products and forests.
Use of Bio-energy to
offset fossil fuels.
Adapted from Perez-Garcia, Lippke et al. 2005
( Ward. R,Lippke
2009) et al. 2005)
(Perez-Garcia,
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24/06/2013
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Every 1kg of dry wood used can potentially store up to 1.83kg of
CO2 equivalents
•
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.
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(Ferguson, 1996)
Current assumed values to produce one kg of OSB:
The Amount of Carbon released: 0.45 kg CO2e
The amount of Energy Used: 14.95 MJ
Environmental impacts
can vary hugely from
country to country due to
such differences as:
◦
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(Adapted from Sathre, 2010)
Local Climate
Construction practices
Density of timber used
Manufacturing processes
Hauling distances etc.
Energy used in the
manufacturing of OSB
Energy used in the manufacturing of OSB
Canada
US Southeast
(Salazar and Meil, 2009)
(Hammond G.P and Jones C.I. 2011)
(Meil J. , Bushi L., et al. 2009)
Raw Materials
Energy, Fuel
Water
System Boundary
Nursery
Phase
Forestry Phase
Transport
Manufacturing Phase
(Sawmill / Board mill)
Operational Phase
Construction Phase
Transport
Reuse
Manufacturing Phase
(Board mill)
Recycle
End of Life Phase
Co-Products
Waste
CO2 and other
Emissions to
Water, Air and
Land
Carbon Output of 420kg to produce
Manufacturing Phase
(Board mill)
0.88m3 of OSB
Stored in OSB ≈ 69%
Stored in Co-products ≈ 4%
Released as non fossil CO2 ≈ 24%
Released as fossil CO2 ≈ 3%
VOCs and other Emissions ≈ 0.5%
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24/06/2013
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Coillte Teoranta headquarters is the first all
timber office complex to be built in Ireland.
Preliminary results have indicated that the
Concrete equivalent structure has a 42%
greater embodied carbon result.
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Move towards environmentally friendly construction
products is a crucial to reduce our CO2 emissions.
Timber construction products have many
environmental benefits over other construction
products including the ability to sequester carbon.
LCA allows us to examine the total environmental
effects of construction products over their whole life
cycle. It allows us to put science to the statements.
Coillte HQ
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