Progress 06/01/04 to 03/31/09
Outputs
OUTPUTS: In 1998, the Consortium for Research on Renewable Industrial Materials (CORRIM) developed a 22 module research plan to develop a life cycle inventory (LCI) and analysis for wood used in U.S. construction. This phase of the research (Phase 2) focuses on geographic, product, and building structure extensions. We completed the following tasks: 1. Environmental Components Analysis: We developed a component by component life cycle impact assessment for wall and floor subassemblies. 2. LMS Extensions for Phase II: The Landscape Management System (LMS),previously used by CORRIM to simulate forest management alternatives and environmental outputs (including carbon tracking in the forest, products, displacement and market substitution), was extended to characterize similar information for forests in the Northeast (NE), Northcentral (NC), and Inland West (IW) regions. 3. Support for Inland West and NE/NC Forest Resources: The LMS was used to develop alternative management scenarios for the IW. Support was provided to regional partners to develop similar information for the NE/NC region for softwoods and hardwoods. Included in this task was the characterization of the region into productivity classes and acreages in order to develop alternative management strategies with material and environmental outputs as inputs to a harvesting model. We coordinated with University of Idaho for IW harvest modeling and NE/NC regional partners for both the scenario development and harvest modeling. 4. Landfill Carbon: We modified the LMS carbon accounting to incorporate a more complete landfill decomposition based on the National Council for Air and Stream Improvement (NCASI) papers that provide a decomposition model for landfills. We gave consideration to regional differences such as SE, NE/NC, IW, and Northwest. 5. Purchased Materials Matrix: We determined the normal sourcing of different materials for construction in a Seattle and Los Angeles location, and provided this information to the ATHENA Institute. 6. West Coast Structures Environmental Performance Report: We reviewed the analysis of Seattle and Los Angeles structures provided by the ATHENA Institute. 7. Biofuel LCI Workshop: We planned and conducted a workshop to develop the tasks for a research program that will produce Life Cycle Inventory (LCI) data for the management and collection of forest residuals and short rotation woody crops that will be used as a source for biofuels in various processing facilities, and to develop related tasks for the LCIs for representative biofuel processing facilities. A streaming video of presentations was made available after the workshop. Findings from the workshop were assembled into a task list as the suggested core of a research plan to develop the LCI data for both collection and processing of woody biomass resources. 8. Carbon Tracking Customized to BC Forests: We customized carbon tracking to British Columbia forests by running simulations for selected sample stands. We ran simulations for both coastal and interior forests. PARTICIPANTS: John Perez-Garcia, Professor, University of Washington College of Forest Resources. Bruce Lippke, Professor, University of Washington College of Forest Resources. James McCarter, Research Scientist, University of Washington College of Forest Resources. Elaine Oneil, Research Scientist, University of Washington College of Forest Resources. Renata Bura, Assistant Professor, University of Washington College of Forest Resources. Brian Boyle, Forum Leader, University of Washington College of Forest Resources. Larry Mason, Research Scientist, University of Washington College of Forest Resources. Jeff Comnick, Research Scientist, University of Washington College of Forest Resources. Kevin Ceder, Forest Technology Specialist, University of Washington College of Forest Resources. Clara Burnett, Administrative Specialist, University of Washington College of Forest Resources. Leonard Johnson, University of Idaho. Jim Wilson, Oregon State University. Maureen Puettmann, Woodlife Inc. TARGET AUDIENCES: Target audiences include governmental agencies, the forest products and construction industries, researchers, educators, and the general public. PROJECT MODIFICATIONS: The project was extended in scope to include: 1. Landfill carbon modification. 2. Purchased materials matrix. 3. West coast structures environmental performance report. 4. Biofuels Life Cycle Inventory workshop. 5. Carbon tracking customized to British Columbia forests.
Impacts
This research developed a database and modeling capability to adequately describe the environmental performance of most wood based building materials and many of their uses in the US. The research developed primary life cycle environmental performance data for and analyzed key wood materials such as lumber, plywood, composite panels, other structural wood derived products, and high volume non-structural products such as MDF, particleboard, resins and hardwood floors. It also provided environmental and selected economic data on life-cycle stages from planting and growing the renewable raw material, manufacture of products, through to the design and construction of subassemblies and buildings. The ultimate use of life cycle inventory (LCI) information is to analyze it for risk implications on human or ecological health and how the risk can be lowered resulting in improved environmental performance. This assessment process is referred to as Life Cycle Assessment (LCA). Overall, the final report (linked in the Publications section) attempts to provide a more complete record of the research data for open access and to complement the more abbreviated articles provided in peer reviewed journals, including both more detailed LCI data and analytical nuances.
Publications
- Lippke, B., Johnson, L., Wilson, J., and Puettmann, M. January 2010. "Life Cycle Environmental Performance of Renewable Building Materials in the Context of Residential Construction." Available online at: http://www.corrim.org/pubs/reports/2010/phase2/Ph2_Main_Report.pdf, link verified 4/26/2011.
- Lippke, B., and Wilson, J. March 2010. "Extending the Findings on the Environmental Performance of Wood Building Materials." Wood and Fiber Science, v.42:CORRIM special issue. Available online at: http://www.corrim.org/pubs/reports/2010/swst_vol42/index.asp, link verified 4/26/2011.
- Consortium for Research on Renewable Industrial Materials (CORRIM). October 20-21, 2008. "Workshop for Biofuel LCIs: Collection and Processing." Streaming video and presentation slides available online at: http://www.corrim.org/presentations/video/2008/CORRIM_Workshop/index. asp, link verified 4/26/2011.
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Progress 06/01/04 to 09/30/05
Outputs
1. Carbon Model Links: Data from the CORRIM study have been linked via spreadsheet to the Landscape Management System (LMS) so that carbon can be tracked from regeneration or stand inventory through management treatments and processing alternatives. The model is being updated for use with the newest release, LMS 3.0, and being made more user friendly to beginning users. 2. Carbon and Fire Risk Scenarios: A pilot study was completed incorporating fire risk as a function of post treatment fire risk metrics using the Fires and Fuels Extension model to FVS. The pilot study demonstrates the impact of treatments on fire risk and the impact of phasing in treatments on fire risk and carbon stored in the forest, in products and in displaced fossil emissions both from biofuel use and product substitution. This study provides a methodology that will be applied in the CORRIM Phase 2 research for the Inland West. 3. Forest Resource Stratification: A simplified characterization of
stand types and productivity, stratified over the land base has been developed for Inland West forests in order to capture, in summary form, the impact of life cycle measures of all inputs and outputs from forest regeneration and management through logging and the export of logs to processors. When the LCI measures are made available by U of ID, LMS scenarios will be provided based on the pilot study (item 2) to demonstrate the impact of management alternatives on forest productivity, fire and carbon storage. 4. Environmental Burdens in Building Components: A report has been completed and submitted for publication characterizing the environmental burdens associated with the use of different components in wall and floor construction assemblies
Impacts
Managers will be able to use the carbon tracking tools developed to provide estimates of carbon in the forest and also as a consequence of products developed from the logs exported from the forest. The forest stratification data will be used in the CORRIM research study to characterize the complete environmental life cycle analysis of Inland West forests and the use of any products generated from the forest in the presence of fire. These tools can provide complete carbon accounting suitable for carbon registration. The environmental burdens associated with different components makes it possible to design building subassemblies using much less energy and imposing much smaller environmental burdens.
Publications
- Lippke, B., and L. Edmonds. Submitted 2005. Environmental performance improvement in residential construction: The impact of products, biofuels and processes. Forest Products Journal
- Lippke, B. and Jeffrey Comnick. 2006. Carbon and Forest Fire Risk: Alternative Management Treatments and the Impact of Fire
- Edmonds, Lucy, and Bruce Lippke. 2005. Reducing Environmental Consequences of Residential Construction through Product Selection and Design. CORRIM Fact Sheet in care of College of Forest Resources, U. of Washington. 4pp
- Lippke, Bruce, John Perez-Garcia, Jeffrey Comnick. 2004. The Role of Northwest Forests and Forest Management on Carbon Storage. CORRIM Fact Sheet in care of College of Forest Resources, U. of Washington. 4pp
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