|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| CSIRO | SOLVE | Issue 5 Nov 05 | |
|
|
|
ARTICLE
WOOD PRODUCTS: Wood's Knock-On Effect
By Rebecca Thyer
The first close look at timber’s environmental credentials in the built environment shows that it outscores the competition.
The environmental credentials of office furniture are being examined a lot more closely as full lifecycle measurements are made of different materials’ energy ratings and other inherent properties. The push to keep tightening the built environment’s efficiencies is moving from construction to fit-out, meaning components such as furniture also now need to be environmentally rated. It is a trend that Michael Pitcher, environmental manager for the Melbourne-based Schiavello Group – a leading international designer and manufacturer of furniture products and interiors – is watching grow: “We’ve noticed that tender requirements have changed significantly in the past year or two and we only expect this trend to continue,” he says. The timber industry has long held that wood’s environmental credentials in both construction and furnishings outshine many of the alternatives. Catherine Murphy, the chief executive of the National Association of Forest Industries, points out that wood products originate from a renewable resource that also sequesters greenhouse gases. However, while she believes modern consumers want to know that the materials they buy are environmentally friendly, the challenge has been to market supportable facts and to show customers how different materials compare. Until now, no comprehensive review of various material options has existed, prompting the first wide-ranging review of all known research around the world into whole-life environmental impacts of materials used in furniture and furnishings. The project was undertaken by Dr Joely Taylor, business development manager for the wood processing unit of Ensis – a new joint venture between Australia and New Zealand’s forestry R&D organisations, CSIRO and Scion. The comprehensive ‘data-mining’ exercise is regarded as filling in a crucial missing link between research already undertaken by materials manufacturers and consumers, whose perceptions determine buying patterns. “The industry has lacked up-to-date information to distribute to retailers, manufacturers and consumers regarding the environmental benefits of timber furniture compared to furniture made with metal or plastic,” Dr Taylor says. “And there have often been clear misconceptions about timber products and their impact on the environment.” This is because of the dilemma many people feel about forestry and logging. Dr Glen Kile, executive director of the Forest and Wood Products Research and Development Corporation, says that although everybody loves wood and forests, “people struggle over how to have both”. “A disconnection has occurred between urbanised populations and their primary industries, so that the once intuitive appreciation of growing and harvesting – be it wheat or trees – has dimmed,” he says. “This is where concepts of sustainability, traceability and proving timber’s credentials are important.” Dr Taylor’s review of global research sought to compile the pros and cons of using wood in furniture production. Because no studies comparing wood with other materials for furniture existed, she and colleague Dr Ken Van Langenberg turned their attention to studies of related products, such as video and TV cabinets, window frames, laminated beams and flooring. There were also comparisons of wood with metal and plastic in the building and construction industries. In every study, the use of timber and timber products recorded a reduced environmental impact. Dr Taylor says this is partly for the obvious reason that timber from sustainable forestry is a renewable resource, while other materials such as steel, aluminium and plastic are derived from non-renewable resources. “Production of metals and plastics is an energy-intensive process,” she says. “And if timber products are finally incinerated for energy production, they do not add to net greenhouse gas production. However, the use of even small amounts of other materials during the production of timber products – such as metal or plastic trim, glass, glues or varnishes – noticeably increases the environmental impact of the wood products.” Overall, the research shows that furniture can account for an important part of the energy used to build and run a building, especially an office building, because it might be replaced many times over a building’s life. One study of a medium-rise office building in Melbourne found that furniture accounted for nearly a third of the lifecycle energy over a 40-year period. Ensis is also leading research into identifying the end-of-life possibilities for wood products. The amount of wood waste generated in Australia is hard to estimate, although data suggests that NSW and Victoria send about 350,000 and 515,000 tonnes respectively to landfill annually. “Australia’s wood-recycling industry is still in its infancy,” Mr Pitcher says. “Producers have had a readily available virgin resource and haven’t had to look elsewhere for material.” However, legislation and demands from specifiers could change this. Mr Pitcher says that reuse and recycling of furniture is a key component of most rating schemes. “Creating furniture that can be disassembled, reused or recycled is an important environmental measure. It’s good for the future and it’s a good story for our products because we meet high ratings.” APPLICATION A data-mining project has proved the environmental credentials of timber furniture For further information contact: |
 IN THIS ISSUE
|
| Home | About Us | eSubscribe | Links | |
|
|
||
|
|
|
Back to main