Investigations on the Sustainable Resource Use of Swiss Timber

Claude Leyder, Michael Klippel, Olin Bartlomé, Niko Heeren, Sarah Kissling, Yutaka Goto and Andrea Frangi
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Claude Leyder: Institute of Structural Engineering, ETH Zurich, 8093 Zurich, Switzerland
Michael Klippel: Institute of Structural Engineering, ETH Zurich, 8093 Zurich, Switzerland
Olin Bartlomé: Swiss Wood Innovation Network (S-WIN), 8008 Zurich, Switzerland
Niko Heeren: Department of Energy and Process Engineering, Norwegian University of Science & Technology, NO-7491 Trondheim, Norway
Sarah Kissling: Institute of Structural Engineering, ETH Zurich, 8093 Zurich, Switzerland
Yutaka Goto: Architecture and Civil Engineering, Building Technology, Sustainable Building, Chalmers University of Technology, SE-412 96 Gothenburg, Sweden
Andrea Frangi: Institute of Structural Engineering, ETH Zurich, 8093 Zurich, Switzerland

Sustainability, 2021, vol. 13, issue 3, 1-34

Abstract: In Switzerland, the advantages of timber buildings for the climate are broadly discussed. In the following paper, a comparative sustainability assessment of four building alternatives is presented. Especially the contribution of implementing Swiss timber versus the implementation of imported timber is highlighted. Additionally, the timber-hybrid building structures are compared to a pure reinforced concrete structure. The timber-hybrid structure, with Swiss timber, has clear ecological advantages with only half the greenhouse gas emissions and half the non-renewable energy consumption compared to the reinforced concrete alternative. Comparing the Swiss timber alternative to the imported timber alternative, there are clear ecological advantages, as well. In terms of economic and social sustainability assessment criteria, the reinforced concrete alternative has the lowest production costs and the lowest labor intensity (measured in terms of full-time equivalents). Additionally, the paper includes an analysis of biogenic CO 2 emissions and CO 2 storage within the timber building alternatives. Finally, an up-scaling to the national level is attempted, showcasing the ecological and economic advantages of promoting the use of locally produced timber.

Keywords: comparative sustainability assessment; timber resource use; economic; ecological and social assessment (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (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:jsusta:v:13:y:2021:i:3:p:1237-:d:486846

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