Life-Cycle Inventory of Manufacturing Prefinished Engineered Wood Flooring in the Eastern United States

Author: Bergman, Richard D. PhD; Bowe, Scott A.; 

Date: 2010

Source: In: Proceedings, Society of Wood Science and Technology 53rd International Convention. Geneva, Switzerland. October 11-15, 2010. WS11. 2010 pp. 1-10.

Publication Series: Full Proceedings

Description: Building products have come under increased scrutiny because of environmental impacts from their manufacturing. However, environmental impacts of manufacturing some wood products—such as prefinished engineered wood flooring—have not been determined. This study examined prefinished engineered wood flooring in the eastern United States following the life-cycle inventory approach. To provide a reference to the product system inputs and outputs, a functional unit of one cubic meter of prefinished engineered wood flooring was selected. This study surveyed five engineered wood flooring manufacturers located in the eastern United States. These production facilities represented 18.7% of total annual production in 2007. For the year 2007, primary data collected included annual production, energy consumption and type, material inputs, product outputs, and other co-products. This study estimated an overall conversion (logs to prefinished engineered wood flooring) of 30.1%. Unallocated thermal process energy and electricity consumed was 6,418 MJ/m³ and 1,113 kWh/m³ prefinished engineered wood flooring, respectively. Wood fuel at 300 OD kg, or 6,263 MJ/m³, contributed 97.6% of process thermal energy required. SimaPro modeled the weight-average data to estimate the environmental footprint. Modeling data estimated biogenic and fossil CO₂ emissions at 623 and 1,049 kg/m³, respectively, and VOCs at 1.04 kg/m³. Carbon stored in the flooring—1,100 kg-CO₂-equivalents—offsets the fossil CO₂ emitted by 4%. Current prefinished engineered wood flooring manufacturing practices result in a negative carbon balance as long as the carbon is stored in the final product.

Keywords: life-cycle inventory, LCI, prefinished engineered wood, flooring, environmental impact

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Bergman, Richard D.; Bowe, Scott A. 2010. Life-Cycle Inventory of Manufacturing Prefinished Engineered Wood Flooring in the Eastern United States. Bergman R, Bowe S. 2010. Life-cycle inventory analysis of manufacturing prefinished engineered wood flooring in the eastern United States. In: Proceedings, Society of Wood Science and Technology 53rd International Convention. Geneva, Switzerland. October 11-15, 2010. WS11. 2010 pp. 1-10.

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