Wood in sustainable construction - a material perspective: Learning from vernacular architecture

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Volume Title
School of Chemical Technology | Doctoral thesis (article-based) | Defence date: 2015-09-04
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Author
Date
2015
Department
Puunjalostustekniikan laitos
Department of Forest Products Technology
Major/Subject
Mcode
Degree programme
Language
en
Pages
72 + app. 66
Series
Aalto University publication series DOCTORAL DISSERTATIONS, 97/2015
Abstract
Traditionally, vernacular buildings were constructed based upon a deep understanding of the surroundings and the features of locally sourced materials. This wisdom led to a rational building composition and appropriate material selection, which ensured adequate living conditions and proper building life cycle, without any advanced technologies. In the discussion about reducing the environmental impacts of a building, there should be useful ideas to be taken from traditional solutions for the further development of modern buildings. A life cycle perspective is nowadays becoming more significant for comprehensive building analysis as the distribution of the environmental impacts over a building life cycle change. In such a context, building material selection is an important factor. Wood products have lately attracted attention as promising construction materials due to their unique environmental properties. This study investigated the optimal use and development of wood products in sustainable construction in comparison to other building materials, based on life cycle assessment method. With regard to learning from vernacular buildings, a holistic analysis of wood in construction was carried out. In this dissertation, first the methodological issues relating to the fair assessment of wood products and wood construction based on the current normative standards and assessment data were discussed. Secondly, wood in sustainable construction was discussed according to ten principles in terms of appropriate building material selection over the building life cycle. This study demonstrated that there are both strengths and weakness to the use of wood in sustainable construction. In this sense, the importance of diverse perspectives to building materials has been highlighted. It was also discussed that wood may contribute to the environment more positively when it is used more. A reduction in consumption (e.g. energy) and emissions (e.g. CO2) has thus far been the principle behind mitigating environmental impacts. In this context, for instance, a CLT (Cross laminated timber) framed building would not be preferable since it requires a large amount of wood, resulting in high embodied energy. However, on the other hand, that gives significant environmental benefits (e.g. energy recovery) to the building. In this case, by optimising the weaknesses (high embodied energy) and maximising the strengths (environmental benefits), the greater use of wood may improve the environmental profile of a building. This would be a paradigm shift from the current approach to the environmental problems. In that sense, wood seems to have significant potential. It would be important to consider a specific approach and use for wood in construction based upon the proper understanding of their characteristics as practiced in traditional buildings.
Description
Supervising professor
Hughes, Mark, Prof., Aalto University, Department of Forest Products Technology, Finland
Thesis advisor
Winter, Stefan, Prof., Technical University of Munich, Germany
Keywords
life cycle asessment, wood, sustainability, vernacular architecture
Other note
Parts
  • [Publication 1]: Takano A, Winter S, Hughes M, Linkosalmi L. 2014. Comparison of life cycle assessment databases: A case study on building assessment. Building and Environment 79: 20-30.
    DOI: 10.1016/j.buildenv.2014.04.025 View at publisher
  • [Publication 2]: Takano A, Hafner A, Linkosalmi L, Ott S, Hughes M, Winter S. 2015. Life cycle assessment of wood construction according to the normative standards. European Journal of Wood and Wood Products 73: 299-312.
    DOI: 10.1007/s00107-015-0890-4 View at publisher
  • [Publication 3]: Takano A, Hughes M, Winter S. 2014. A multidisciplinary approach to sustainable building material selection: A case study in a Finnish context. Building and Environment 82: 526-535.
    DOI: 10.1016/j.buildenv.2014.09.026 View at publisher
  • [Publication 4]: Takano A, Sudip SK, Kuittinen M, Alanne K, Hughes M, Winter S. 2015. The effect of material selection on life cycle energy balance: A case study on a hypothetical building model in Finland. Building and Environment 89: 192-202.
    DOI: 10.1016/j.buildenv.2015.03.001 View at publisher
  • [Publication 5]: Takano A, Pittau F, Hafner A, Ott S, Hughes M, De Angelis E. 2014. Greenhouse gas emission from construction stage of wooden buildings. International Wood Products Journal 5 (4): 217-223.
    DOI: 10.1179/2042645314Y.0000000077 View at publisher
Citation
Permanent link to this item
https://urn.fi/URN:ISBN:978-952-60-6294-5
Collections
[diss] Kemian tekniikan korkeakoulu / CHEM