A group of researchers at Kyusu University has performed an extensive analysis of the carbon footprint involved in constructing a wooden house in Japan. The research plan considered all steps of the process, including the supply chain, transportation of materials, and other steps.
The research, published in the Journal of Environmental Management, suggested that if weak points in the supply chain for building a house are detected, the impact of carbon emissions can be reduced through effective policies and complementary strategies.
Determining the carbon emission rate of the supply chain is immensely difficult. While it is easier to determine the amount of emissions made by a single commodity or object, calculating the total emissions in creating the commodity poses an arduous task for researchers.
The researchers focused on undermining the carbon footprint behind the construction of wooden houses because wooden houses constitute 90% of the houses on the island nation. They are also tasked with determining which industries contribute most to the carbon footprint.
According to the team’s findings, the estimated carbon footprint of building a single wooden house in Japan is 38 tons of CO2. Making up the largest share of that—accounting for 32% of total emissions—was the electric power sector. Other sectors included pig iron production at 12%, with cement, road freight transport, and private power generation each covering 7% of total emissions.
The team discovered that the carbon footprint estimated for the construction of a single wooden house is 30 tonnes of CO2, and the sector that contributed the most was the electric sector, which was accountable for 32% of total emissions. Other major carbon-emitting sectors comprise pig iron production (12%), road freight transport and private power generation (each with 7% of total emissions).
The researchers believe that these findings can aid industries and consumers alike to reconsider the carbon footprint of this portion of the construction business. In some nations, continual emphasis has been put on the importance of building ‘low-carbon’ buildings. Although Japan promotes the reduction of a home’s total energy use, there has not been a concrete policy implementing plans to target the reduction of carbon emissions during the building phase of a home.