Environmental load of solid wood floor production from larch grown at different planting densities based on a life cycle assessment

Abstract

As one of the main structural units in a building, a solid wood floor has significant strategic research value for low-carbon energy saving. Taking the production line of a solid larch wood floor as a case study, we assessed the environmental load during production based upon a life cycle assessment. Using GaBi 6.0 software, we analyzed the associated carbon sequestration during floor production, with the initial planting density serving as the disturbance factor in a modular analysis. The results indicated that the cutting and finishing steps have relatively intense, negative influences on the environment, whereas transportation, ripping, and trimming do not. Additionally, recycling biomass waste has the potential to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. When the initial planting density was 3.0 × 3.0 m, carbon sequestration was relatively high. Although the emissions of freshwater pollutants, volatile organic compounds, and fine particulate matter (matter with a 2.5-μm diameter) were comparatively high, the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions was still excellent at this planting density.

Keywords

Environmental effect / Larch / Life cycle assessment / Planting density / Solid wood floor

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