Energy Efficiency
Wood helps to minimize energy consumption in several ways.
In terms of embodied energy, which includes the energy required to extract, process, manufacture, transport, construct and maintain a material or product, life cycle assessment studies show that wood significantly outperforms both steel and concrete.
Comparison of Homes Framed in Wood, Steel and Concrete
| |
|
|
MINNEAPOLIS |
|
ATLANTA |
| |
Energy
(Gigojoules) |
GWP*
(Kilograms CO2) |
| Wood frame |
651 |
37,047 |
| Steel frame |
764 |
46,826 |
| Difference |
17% |
26% |
|
|
| |
Energy
(Gigojoules) |
GWP*
(Kilograms CO2) |
| Wood frame |
398 |
21,367 |
| Concrete frame |
461 |
28,004 |
| Difference |
16% |
31% |
|
Source: Consortium for Research on Renewable Materials
*Global Warming Potential |
One study, conducted by the Consortium for Research on Renewable Industrial Materials (CORRIM), compared the environmental impact of homes framed with wood and steel in Minneapolis and wood and concrete in Atlanta—the framing types most common to each city. According to the report, the homes framed in steel and concrete would require 17 and 16 percent more energy respectively (from extraction through maintenance) than their wood-framed counterparts.
Wood also contributes to energy-efficiency and lower operating costs because it has better insulating properties than other materials—400 times better than steel and 15 times better than concrete. Wood’s cellular structure contains air pockets which limit its ability to conduct heat and help to minimize the energy needed for heating and cooling. Concrete and steel are solid throughout and, as a result, facilitate heat loss and increase energy consumption.
Sources
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