Life Cycle Assessment and Cost Analysis of Mid-Rise Mass Timber vs. Concrete Buildings in Australia

Riley Jolly, Holly Fairweather, Scott Rayburg and John Rodwell ()
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Riley Jolly: Department of Civil Engineering, Swinburne University of Technology, Hawthorn, VIC 3122, Australia
Holly Fairweather: Department of Civil Engineering, Swinburne University of Technology, Hawthorn, VIC 3122, Australia
Scott Rayburg: Department of Civil Engineering, Swinburne University of Technology, Hawthorn, VIC 3122, Australia
John Rodwell: Department of Management & Marketing, Swinburne University of Technology, Hawthorn, VIC 3122, Australia

Sustainability, 2024, vol. 16, issue 15, 1-18

Abstract: The building and construction industry is one of the largest greenhouse gas producers, accounting for 39% of global emissions, most of these coming from concrete and steel. Mass timber construction (MTC) potentially offers a sustainable alternative to these traditional building materials. However, more research is needed to establish the sustainability credentials of MTC relative to traditional concrete and steel structures, especially for mid-rise structures. The aim of this study is to evaluate the environmental and cost performance of mid-rise mass timber buildings by conducting a life cycle assessment (LCA). The LCA uses a cradle-to-cradle approach, considering the global warming potential (GWP), freshwater use (FW), and total use of non-renewable primary energy resources (PENRT). Results indicated that mid-rise mass timber buildings have significantly lower impacts than concrete buildings, with their GWP approximately 30 times lower, FW about 20 times lower, and PENRT reaching a negative value. Additionally, the cost analysis revealed that MTC buildings can be cheaper to build and thus possibly more profitable than concrete buildings. These findings establish mass timber as a viable and sustainable option for the future of Australia’s construction industry.

Keywords: mass timber construction (MTC); mid-rise buildings; life cycle assessment (LCA); cross-laminated timber (CLT); glue-laminated timber (glulam); sustainability; concrete (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2024
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