Can We Save the Climate with Our Forests? The Construction Industry Is Getting Involved!

Carbone 4 has just completed a multi-stakeholder study showing that if France were to triple the volume of wood construction by 2030, using resources from French forests, the associated economic, social, and environmental benefits would be significant:

• Approximately 3 million metric tons of CO2 avoided annually through material substitution (wood products for construction and other wood products such as packaging and panels) and energy substitution

• Approximately €170 million per year in trade surplus, primarily due to a reduction in France’s energy bill and the cessation of imports of wood products

• That amounts to 3,400 net jobs created.

In fact, building with wood rather than concrete can reduce the carbon footprint of the structural work by up to 60%. This represents a 30% reduction in emissions compared to traditional construction methods. Carbon footprint of the structural work (kgCO2e / m2 SHON)

Furthermore, increased production of lumber for construction automatically leads to increased production of many other wood products, such as industrial wood and firewood. The benefits in terms of energy savings, greenhouse gas emissions, and the trade balance can therefore be realized across the entire supply chain.

Figure: Byproducts of harvesting and processing associated with additional production of timber for construction. Source: Agreste 2012, SOes, LEF, IGN 2014, S. Lochu 2012, Carbone 4 analysis

The available timber resources in France are sufficient, but to meet the additional demand, it will be necessary to increase softwood harvesting by 1.5% per year between now and 2030 and to invest in new processing capacity (sawmills, kilns, facilities for manufacturing wood products for construction). This goal is ambitious but remains within France's reach. At a time when more and more countries are committing to ambitious goals for reducing greenhouse gas emissions, the benefits associated with developing the wood industry to replace metal and mineral building materials—or fossil fuels used for heating—justify the industry’s supported by government authorities and economic decision-makers.

The most difficult part of such a plan will be managing the sector’s “cultural barriers,” which are likely the root cause of its highly fragmented structure. Overcoming these barriers will require strong political will, supported by well-thought-out coordination and a high degree of consultation. This is an essential prerequisite for the forest to undergo significant yet harmonious development. This sector study was co-funded by the DGEC, FBIE-CODIFAB, the Caisse des Dépôts et Consignation, Bouygues Immobilier, the Aquitaine Region, Woodeum, and Trecobat.

To view the study results, click at this link

1. Half of the wood-frame addition is made of CLT (Cross-Laminated Timber), and the other half is made of wood framing.

2. Directorate General for Energy and Climate, under the Ministry of the Environment

3. France Bois Industries Entreprises and the Professional Committee for the Development of the French Furniture and Wood Industries Published on May 21, 2105