Comparative assessment for biogenic carbon accounting methods in carbon footprint of products : a review study for construction materials based on forest products.

Tellnes, Lars GF; Ganne-Chédeville, Christelle; Dias, Ana; Dolezal, Franz; Hill, Callum; Zea Escamilla, Edwin (2017). Comparative assessment for biogenic carbon accounting methods in carbon footprint of products : a review study for construction materials based on forest products. iForest : Biogeosciences and Forestry, 10(5), pp. 815-823. Italian Society of Silviculture and Forest Ecology 10.3832/ifor2386-010

Text comparative assessment for biogenic carbon accounting methods in carbon footprint of products.pdf - Published Version Restricted to registered users only Available under License Publisher holds Copyright. Download (251kB) | Request a copy

The forest and building sector is of major importance in climate change mitigation and therefore construction materials based on forest products are of great interest. While energy efficiency has had a large focus in climate change mitigation in the building sector, the carbon footprint of the construction material is gaining relevance. The carbon footprint of construction materials can vary greatly from one type to another, the building sector is consequently demanding documentation of the carbon footprint of the materials used. Using an environmental product declaration (EPD) is an objective and standardised solution for communicating the environmental impacts of construction products and especially their carbon footprint. Nevertheless, it is challenging to include the features of forest products as pools of carbon dioxide. There is currently a focus on research into methods for the accounting of sequestered atmospheric carbon dioxide and also implementation of these methods into technical standards. This paper reviews the recent research and technical standards in this field to promote a common understanding and to propose requirements for additional information to be included in EPDs of forest-based products. The main findings show the need for reporting the contribution of biogenic carbon to the total on greenhouse gas emissions and removals over the product’s lifecycle. In order to facilitate the implementation of more advanced methods from research, the EPD should also include more detailed information of the wood used, in particular species and origin.

Item Type:	Journal Article (Original Article)
Division/Institute:	School of Architecture, Wood and Civil Engineering BFH Centres and strategic thematic fields > Thematic field "Sustainable Development"
Name:	Tellnes, Lars GF; Ganne-Chédeville, Christelle0000-0003-1000-6759; Dias, Ana; Dolezal, Franz; Hill, Callum and Zea Escamilla, Edwin
ISSN:	1971-7458
Publisher:	Italian Society of Silviculture and Forest Ecology
Language:	English
Submitter:	Service Account
Date Deposited:	22 Jan 2020 07:10
Last Modified:	29 Jun 2023 10:15
Publisher DOI:	10.3832/ifor2386-010
ARBOR DOI:	10.24451/arbor.5597
URI:	https://arbor.bfh.ch/id/eprint/5597