Steel–Timber Hybrid Buildings: A Comparative Life Cycle Assessment Study of Global Warning Potential Impacts

Dario Trabucco () and Giovanni Perrucci
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Dario Trabucco: Department of Architecture and Arts, Iuav University of Venice, 30135 Venice, Italy
Giovanni Perrucci: Department of Architecture and Arts, Iuav University of Venice, 30135 Venice, Italy

Sustainability, 2025, vol. 17, issue 2, 1-25

Abstract: Mass timber buildings are gaining momentum, as they are seen as an environmental alternative to conventional concrete and steel structures, and they are also being used for mid- and high-rise buildings. This study conducted a comparative LCA analysis of 20- and 40-story building structures made with different combinations of steel and mass timber. The results show that, even disregarding the environmental benefits of the sequestered biogenic carbon by using a 0/0 approach, timber-based structures result in a roughly 25% lower Global Warming Potential (GWP) impact than steel- or hybrid-based equivalent solutions. The results show that the contribution of steel does not bring any GWP advantage (an average increase of 20% is reported); however, steel–timber hybrid structures may still be the only viable solution to attain greater heights. This study also evidences that materials with lower GWP in their production phase can present a viable solution even when long transportation is required, highlighting the importance of the production phase to reach environmental targets.

Keywords: tall buildings; steel–timber; LCA; life cycle assessment; GWP; embodied carbon (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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