When compared to products like concrete and steel, the production of wood products consumes far less energy, emits less greenhouse gases, releases less pollutants into the air and generates far less water pollution. Trees also absorb carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, thus reducing greenhouse gases and improving air quality. Unlike most construction and decorative products, the properties inherent in wood, as a natural, sustainable, renewable and recyclable resource, make it a logical environmental choice for any project. Not to mention woods desirable aesthetic characteristics which provide warmth and character and make it a natural choice in a multitude of design applications.

 

Part of understanding why wood is one of the most environmental building or interior design materials is to understand the carbon dioxide generation associated with wood itself. Clean, natural energy grows the trees that produce wood products. The growth of wood is generated by solar power, the sun, and requires no power to irrigate, as this is done through natural rainfall. Sure, fossil fuel will be used in the harvest of the logs, however this is an extremely efficient process and harvesting will only occur in an area after decades of growth. An important fact to remember about wood is that it stores carbon within its fiber. Trees absorb carbon dioxide from the air during their growth and return pure oxygen to the environment. Once the carbon is stored in the wood, it remains there until the wood completely decomposes. This stored carbon makes up nearly half the woods dry weight.

 

The production of products like metals, concrete, drywall or even brick, require far more consumption of energy and burning of fossil fuels. In many wood processing facilities, the wood byproducts or waste material is used for generating power for those factories. If you consider this along with the fact that the creation of the material requires little to no energy, and there is little fossil fuel consumption in harvesting the material, it has been suggested that wood products are “carbon neutral”, or possibly even “carbon negative”.

 

Life cycle tests have been conducted with various building materials to assess the number of kilograms of carbon emissions which are generated in the production of one metric ton of a given material. Studies included everything from harvesting and the preparation and processing of raw material, conducting primary and secondary manufacturing, as well as accounting for the transportation needed during the process. We should also consider the net effect of the carbon storage of wood; removing carbon dioxide from the air and storing it in the fiber until decomposition.   This makes these products carbon negative (Framing lumber -457 kg, and MDF -382 kg). These studies show an obvious environmental advantage in using wood products.

 

 Here are a few comparisons:

 

 

Contact a sales professional today to learn how Hardwoods Specialty Products can help distinguish your company in the marketplace by providing global sourcing of products that drive sustainable design.