Will a Transition to Timber Construction Cool the Climate?

Galina Churkina and Alan Organschi
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Galina Churkina: Institute of Ecology, Berlin University of Technology, 10587 Berlin, Germany
Alan Organschi: Innovation Labs, Bauhaus Earth, 12161 Potsdam, Germany

Sustainability, 2022, vol. 14, issue 7, 1-8

Abstract: Timber construction is on the rise and its contribution to climate change mitigation has been widely discussed by scientists and practitioners alike. As midrise building with wood in cities spreads, it will lead to fundamental and systemic change in forests, the manufacturing of construction materials, and the character and performance of the built environment. In this paper, we discuss the multifaceted implications of the transition to building with timber in cities for climate, which include greenhouse gas emissions but also go beyond those potential benefits. We demonstrate that while a transition to timber cities can have a balancing effect on the global carbon cycle, the other accompanying effects may enhance, reduce, or diminish that effect on climate. A collaboration of practitioners with scientists will be required to steer this transition in a climate-friendly direction.

Keywords: timber construction; climate change; forest management; heat island effect; waste heat emissions (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
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