Life Cycle Sustainability Assessment of a Novel Bio-Based Multilayer Panel for Construction Applications

Aitor Barrio, Fernando Burgoa Francisco, Andrea Leoncini, Lars Wietschel and Andrea Thorenz
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Aitor Barrio: TECNALIA, Basque Research and Technology Alliance (BRTA), Area Anardi 5, 20730 Azpeitia, Spain
Fernando Burgoa Francisco: CARTIF Technology Centre, Parque Tecnológico de Boecillo, 205 Boecillo, 47151 Valladolid, Spain
Andrea Leoncini: RINA Consulting S.p.A., Via A.Cecchi 6, 16129 Genoa, Italy
Lars Wietschel: Resource Lab, Institute for Materials Resource Management, University of Augsburg, Universitätsstraße 16, 86519 Augsburg, Germany
Andrea Thorenz: Resource Lab, Institute for Materials Resource Management, University of Augsburg, Universitätsstraße 16, 86519 Augsburg, Germany

Resources, 2021, vol. 10, issue 10, 1-21

Abstract: The bioeconomy can be integral to transforming the current economic system into one with reduced environmental and social impacts of material consumption. This work describes a bio-based multi-layer panel that is based on residual coniferous bark. To ensure that the presented bio-based panel positively contributes to environmental protection while remaining competitive with conventional products and meeting high social standards, the development of the panel is accompanied by a life cycle sustainability assessment. This study performs a comparative LCA and LCC of the developed panel to conventional benchmark panels, as well as a qualitative social life cycle assessment. While the panel performs only economically marginally weaker than the benchmarks, the results are more heterogeneous for the environmental dimension with benefits of the bio-based panel in categories such as climate change, acidification, and ozone formation and detriments in categories including eutrophication. The S-LCA analysis shows that all of the involved companies apply social principles in direct proximity; however, social responsibility along the supply chain could be further promoted. All results need to be viewed with the caveat that the manufacturing processes for the new panel have been implemented, to date, on a pilot scale and further improvements need to be achieved in terms of upscaling and optimisation cycles.

Keywords: bark-based biorefinery; bio-based material; construction material; insulation; polyurethane; biophenolic resin (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:gam:jresou:v:10:y:2021:i:10:p:98-:d:646411

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