The circularity of wood

A circular economy is key to sustainable construction, minimising waste and maximising resource efficiency. But how do structural flooring boards fit into this? Scott Wolters, Building and Flooring Products Sales Director at EGGER UK, explains all. 

Sustainability is an all-encompassing term that is dominating conversations within construction, architectural and interior design circles. Material circularity is just one aspect of sustainable construction, focussed on the reuse and recycling of materials to ensure they remain in use for as long as possible. Not only does this reduce the amount of waste sent to landfill and minimises the consumption of materials, but it also reduces the embodied carbon of the completed building. 

It’s no wonder that wood is such a valuable material in the drive for more sustainable construction. As a renewable resource, wood captures and sequesters atmospheric carbon as the tree grows. Did you know that a cubic metre of wood can sequester over 800kg of CO₂ depending on its age and species? This is in stark contrast to materials such as steel and concrete, which have a more carbon intensive production process. Wood-based materials can also be repurposed easily at the end of their lifespan and either reused or recycled, something that is far harder to achieve with other materials, especially concrete.  

Sustainable sourcing 

Opting for wood-based building materials, where possible, is a clear choice that helps to optimise and amplify the environmental credentials of any new build. One area in which this can be easily achieved is through the specification of wood-based structural flooring boards. However, the sustainable advantages of wood can only be attained where the material is managed responsibly and in line with environmental best practice throughout its lifecycle. Significant environmental damage, including deforestation and the destruction of habitat, can be caused where forests are managed poorly and trees harvested irresponsibly.  

To avoid this, it’s important to look carefully at where the raw materials have been sourced from, ensuring wood comes from sustainably managed forests that operate in a way that maintains the health, productivity and biodiversity of the forest. Internationally acknowledged third-party certification schemes can demonstrate the supplier’s adherence to environmental and social standards.  

Recycle and reuse 

Recycled wood has several key sustainability benefits. By closing the loop, it diverts waste wood away from landfill, reduces the demand for fresh resources and maintains the carbon storage within the wood. Look for structural flooring boards that contain a high volume of recycled content. This could include post-consumer scrap wood, waste and sawmill by-products.  

When considering the whole lifecycle of a product, it is also important to look at how production waste that is unsuitable for recycling, can be used. There are again benefits here for wood, as it can be used as a carbon neutral biomass fuel when it reaches the end of its usable life. Wood is considered carbon neutral because the carbon released when it is burnt to produce energy is the same amount absorbed during the growth of the tree. Manufacturers of wood-based products can use biomass energy by using waste from their production line in place of natural gas, further lowering the carbon footprint.  

EGGER’s structural flooring, decorative solutions and flooring are manufactured from wood. When virgin wood is used within production it is sourced from 100% verified and controlled sources, according to ISO 38200. EGGER’s chipboard-based structural flooring contains a minimum of 45% recycled material, including sawmill by-products and industry wood waste, prolonging the lifespan of wood material that would otherwise be burnt or sent to landfill. Any waste material generated during production is either recycled back into manufacturing or used to fuel our production sites, with the heat converted into green electricity at our own biomass power plants. 

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