Resource efficiency in multi-storey wooden buildings

Sustainable use of natural resources is essential in lean construction. Resource efficiency brings responsibilities' for all actors in the whole building value chain. In wooden construction sustainable use of natural resources starts with sustainable forestry, but the design process is responsible for designing resource efficient solutions which are durable, material and energy efficient and long lasting. This paper focuses on studying resource consumption and consequent GHG impacts. The results are given for two wooden prefabricated multi-storey building technologies: for the construction with large elements and for box-modules. Life cycle based material flow accounting shows that the lightweight nature of wooden structures embodies efficiency in resource use. However it depends also on building shape, compactness and the type of on designed solutions. When the intensity of other materials is high enough and the building design is not favourable the final result for the wooden building can be on the same level with concrete buildings. This study clarifies the understanding about material efficiency in wooden buildings.