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Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) of Cross-Laminated Timber (CLT) Produced in Western Washington: The Role of Logistics and Wood Species Mix

Author

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  • Cindy X. Chen

    (Center for International Trade in Forest Products (CINTRAFOR), School of Environmental and Forest Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA)

  • Francesca Pierobon

    (Center for International Trade in Forest Products (CINTRAFOR), School of Environmental and Forest Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA)

  • Indroneil Ganguly

    (Center for International Trade in Forest Products (CINTRAFOR), School of Environmental and Forest Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA)

Abstract

The use of cross-laminated timber (CLT), as an environmentally sustainable building material, has generated significant interest among the wood products industry, architects and policy makers in Washington State. However, the environmental impacts of CLT panels can vary significantly depending on material logistics and wood species mix. This study developed a regionally specific cradle-to-gate life cycle assessment of CLT produced in western Washington. Specifically, this study focused on transportation logistics, mill location, and relevant wood species mixes to provide a comparative analysis for CLT produced in the region. For this study, five sawmills (potential lamstock suppliers) in western Washington were selected along with two hypothetical CLT mills. The results show that the location of lumber suppliers, in reference to the CLT manufacturing facilities, and the wood species mix are important factors in determining the total environmental impacts of the CLT production. Additionally, changing wood species used for lumber from a heavier species such as Douglas-fir ( Pseudotsuga menziesii ) to a lighter species such as Sitka spruce ( Picea sitchensis ) could generate significant reduction in the global warming potential (GWP) of CLT. Given the size and location of the CLT manufacturing facilities, the mills can achieve up to 14% reduction in the overall GWP of the CLT panels by sourcing the lumber locally and using lighter wood species.

Suggested Citation

  • Cindy X. Chen & Francesca Pierobon & Indroneil Ganguly, 2019. "Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) of Cross-Laminated Timber (CLT) Produced in Western Washington: The Role of Logistics and Wood Species Mix," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(5), pages 1-17, February.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:11:y:2019:i:5:p:1278-:d:209771
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Ying Liu & Haibo Guo & Cheng Sun & Wen-Shao Chang, 2016. "Assessing Cross Laminated Timber (CLT) as an Alternative Material for Mid-Rise Residential Buildings in Cold Regions in China—A Life-Cycle Assessment Approach," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 8(10), pages 1-13, October.
    2. Haibo Guo & Ying Liu & Yiping Meng & Haoyu Huang & Cheng Sun & Yu Shao, 2017. "A Comparison of the Energy Saving and Carbon Reduction Performance between Reinforced Concrete and Cross-Laminated Timber Structures in Residential Buildings in the Severe Cold Region of China," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 9(8), pages 1-15, August.
    3. Steffen Lehmann, 2012. "Sustainable Construction for Urban Infill Development Using Engineered Massive Wood Panel Systems," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 4(10), pages 1-36, October.
    4. Ramage, Michael H. & Burridge, Henry & Busse-Wicher, Marta & Fereday, George & Reynolds, Thomas & Shah, Darshil U. & Wu, Guanglu & Yu, Li & Fleming, Patrick & Densley-Tingley, Danielle & Allwood, Juli, 2017. "The wood from the trees: The use of timber in construction," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 68(P1), pages 333-359.
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    Cited by:

    1. Ali Tighnavard Balasbaneh & Willy Sher, 2024. "Economic and environmental life cycle assessment of alternative mass timber walls to evaluate circular economy in building: MCDM method," Environment, Development and Sustainability: A Multidisciplinary Approach to the Theory and Practice of Sustainable Development, Springer, vol. 26(1), pages 239-268, January.
    2. Moncef L. Nehdi & Yannian Zhang & Xiaohan Gao & Lei V. Zhang & Ahmed R. Suleiman, 2021. "Experimental Investigation on Axial Compression of Resilient Nail-Cross-Laminated Timber Panels," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(20), pages 1-18, October.
    3. Shaobo Liang & Hongmei Gu & Richard Bergman, 2021. "Environmental Life-Cycle Assessment and Life-Cycle Cost Analysis of a High-Rise Mass Timber Building: A Case Study in Pacific Northwestern United States," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(14), pages 1-16, July.
    4. Kamalakanta Sahoo & Richard Bergman & Sevda Alanya-Rosenbaum & Hongmei Gu & Shaobo Liang, 2019. "Life Cycle Assessment of Forest-Based Products: A Review," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(17), pages 1-30, August.
    5. Cindy X. Chen & Francesca Pierobon & Susan Jones & Ian Maples & Yingchun Gong & Indroneil Ganguly, 2021. "Comparative Life Cycle Assessment of Mass Timber and Concrete Residential Buildings: A Case Study in China," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(1), pages 1-17, December.
    6. Tetsuya Iwase & Takanobu Sasaki & Shogo Araki & Tomohumi Huzita & Chihiro Kayo, 2020. "Environmental and Economic Evaluation of Small-Scale Bridge Repair Using Cross-Laminated Timber Floor Slabs," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(8), pages 1-17, April.
    7. Yi Qian & Tharaka Gunawardena & Priyan Mendis & Lu Aye, 2025. "Carbon Footprint Variability in Engineered Wood Products for Timber Buildings: A Systematic Review of Carbon Accounting Methodologies," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 17(11), pages 1-34, May.
    8. Katsuyuki Nakano & Masahiko Karube & Nobuaki Hattori, 2020. "Environmental Impacts of Building Construction Using Cross-laminated Timber Panel Construction Method: A Case of the Research Building in Kyushu, Japan," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(6), pages 1-14, March.
    9. Kai Lan & Alice Favero & Yuan Yao & Robert O. Mendelsohn & Hannah Szu-Han Wang, 2025. "Global land and carbon consequences of mass timber products," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 16(1), pages 1-12, December.

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