A group of scientists has begun to compare the total environmental impact of building materials. By Matthew Power
Better late than never. A group of 15 scientists calling themselves the Consortium for Research on Renewable Industrial Materials (CORRIM) has begun to forge a “Life Cycle Assessment” of the environmental performance of wood and alternative materials throughout their useful life–from acquisition to ultimate disposal.
One interesting virtual case study is already under way. The scientists modeled stick-built homes that might be built in Atlanta and Minneapolis, and compared them with alternative materials–steel in Minneapolis; concrete block in Atlanta.
So far, the numbers have come out as might be expected, with wood as the clear environmental winner, but the really big questions of a product’s life expectancy remain unanswered. Only with this data in hand (they’re working out the modeling) can scientists hope to accurately compare life-cycle impacts of the various systems.
