Why Is It Important to Use Wood Products?
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Wood is a vital part of nature, and incorporating it into living spaces offers numerous physical and psychological benefits. Key advantages include:
Enhanced emotional well-being and self-expression
Reduced blood pressure, heart rate, and stress levels
Improved indoor air quality through natural humidity regulation
Beyond these personal benefits, wood significantly enhances quality of life. When sourced sustainably, it also exerts a positive environmental influence. For instance, its capacity for long-term carbon storage makes it an essential resource in mitigating climate change.
Carbon Sequestration and Storage
Trees and wood products possess the unique ability to absorb and store carbon dioxide. Through photosynthesis, trees convert CO₂ into oxygen. To produce 1 kg of wood, a tree absorbs 1.47 kg of carbon dioxide and releases 1.07 kg of oxygen.
Does this mean we should never cut down trees? On the contrary—forest rejuvenation is crucial. As trees age, their growth slows and their ability to absorb carbon declines. Eventually, they begin to decay and release CO₂. Young forests absorb carbon more efficiently than mature ones. For example, a plantation can sequester one to ten tonnes of carbon per hectare per year for up to 30 years, after which this capacity diminishes. Sustainable forestry—harvesting followed by replanting—ensures continuous carbon absorption.
When trees are harvested and turned into wood products, the carbon remains stored throughout the product’s life. Approximately 50% of wood’s dry weight is carbon. Therefore, using wood products helps remove carbon from the atmosphere. Moreover, increasing wood usage reduces reliance on non-renewable, energy-intensive materials like concrete, steel, and plastic, which require large amounts of fossil fuels to produce.
In summary, wood is a powerful ally in combating climate change—both by extracting carbon from the atmosphere and by reducing carbon emissions.
Lifecycle of Wood Products
The lifecycle assessment of a product evaluates its environmental impact from raw material extraction through manufacturing, use, and end-of-life disposal or reuse.
Production Phase
The energy consumed during harvesting, processing, and transportation is referred to as "embedded energy." This includes all pollutant emissions (e.g., CO₂) generated throughout these stages.
Wood requires minimal energy compared to other materials. Harvesting and processing wood is energy-efficient, and wood products generally have low embedded energy. For instance:
Sawn timber production uses about 1.5 MJ/kg of energy
Aluminum requires 435 MJ/kg
Steel production consumes approximately 9.8 kWh per kg
Usage Stage
Wood products offer health benefits, are easy to maintain and repair, and consume less energy over their lifespan, further reducing their embedded energy impact.
End of Life
Wood is renewable, versatile, and generates minimal waste. waste generated during processing is typically repurposed as raw material or bioenergy.
Well-maintained wood products can last decades or even centuries. At end of life, wood can be reused, recycled, or converted into carbon-neutral energy, displacing fossil fuels.
reclaimed wood is valued in specialized markets, such as instrument manufacturing, for its unique acoustic and aesthetic qualities.
Key Advantages of Wood Over Other Materials
Renewability: Wood can regenerate within 25–80 years, whereas materials like concrete, brick, and steel rely on non-renewable resources formed over geological timescales.
Character and Adaptability: Wood evolves with age, environment, care, and use, developing unique qualities. In contrast, mineral-based materials remain largely unchanged on a human timescale.
In summary, wood is a renewable, recyclable, eco-friendly, and aesthetically rich material. Choosing wood from sustainably managed forests supports both human well-being and planetary health.