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      Comparative Life Cycle Assessment of Mass Timber and Concrete Residential Buildings: A Case Study in China

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      Sustainability
      MDPI AG

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          Abstract

          As the population continues to grow in China’s urban settings, the building sector contributes to increasing levels of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Concrete and steel are the two most common construction materials used in China and account for 60% of the carbon emissions among all building components. Mass timber is recognized as an alternative building material to concrete and steel, characterized by better environmental performance and unique structural features. Nonetheless, research associated with mass timber buildings is still lacking in China. Quantifying the emission mitigation potentials of using mass timber in new buildings can help accelerate associated policy development and provide valuable references for developing more sustainable constructions in China. This study used a life cycle assessment (LCA) approach to compare the environmental impacts of a baseline concrete building and a functionally equivalent timber building that uses cross-laminated timber as the primary material. A cradle-to-gate LCA model was developed based on onsite interviews and surveys collected in China, existing publications, and geography-specific life cycle inventory data. The results show that the timber building achieved a 25% reduction in global warming potential compared to its concrete counterpart. The environmental performance of timber buildings can be further improved through local sourcing, enhanced logistics, and manufacturing optimizations.

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                Author and article information

                Contributors
                (View ORCID Profile)
                Journal
                SUSTDE
                Sustainability
                Sustainability
                MDPI AG
                2071-1050
                January 2022
                December 23 2021
                : 14
                : 1
                : 144
                Article
                10.3390/su14010144
                183d838e-c10b-41b0-82ce-bfc77c9d99c1
                © 2021

                https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

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