Wood for Good launches life cycle assessment database

The free-to-use database, which was unveiled at London's Building Centre yesterday, has been designed to aid the specification of timber products in construction schemes. It contains environmental performance information on major timber products from cradle to grave.

Wood for Good has gathered data on every aspect of the life cycle of timber products, from forestry, harvesting, transportation, processing and manufacturing, through to the various end of life options. The resource includes modern engineered solutions such as cross-laminated timber.

Global sustainability consultancy PE International was appointed to oversee the collection and analysis of LCA data for the database and is continuing to work with Wood for Good on the research project.

Using the data, construction professionals will be able to make informed decisions about the materials they choose and model the impact this will have on the life cycle performance of the buildings they design.

A key initial finding from the database is that each of the products studied has a carbon negative rating on a cradle-to-site basis. This means that the amount of carbon absorbed and stored in the timber is greater than that emitted from harvesting, processing and transportation.

"Timber products require very low energy inputs for production - relative to many mainstream building materials - and therefore have a low embodied energy and carbon rating," said David Hopkins, project director at Wood for Good.

"Our conversations with specifiers have revealed that while most are already convinced of this, and the many other benefits of wood, they often lack the empirical evidence to endorse its use with their clients.

"Harnessing all of the environmental and design data that customers need in order to choose timber products in one convenient hub, will support the increased specification of timber.

"Through the launch of this resource, and its ongoing development, we aim to position timber as the first choice material for sustainable building."

The LCA results are the first to be published through Wood First Plus, a multi-stakeholder research and development initiative spearheaded by Wood for Good with funding and support from Scottish Enterprise, Forestry Commission Scotland, the Timber Trade Federation and TRADA.

To access the database visit: www.woodforgood.com/lifecycledatabase