Timber Construction as a Solution to Climate Change: A Systematic Literature Review
The built environment significantly contributes to climate change. There is pressure on the construction industry to find and use alternative sustainable environmentally friendly building materials to reduce the climate impact. Timber is increasingly being considered in the literature and used as a...
| Main Authors: | , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2023-04-01
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| Series: | Buildings |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2075-5309/13/4/976 |
| _version_ | 1797606157731233792 |
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| author | Laura Tupenaite Loreta Kanapeckiene Jurga Naimaviciene Arturas Kaklauskas Tomas Gecys |
| author_facet | Laura Tupenaite Loreta Kanapeckiene Jurga Naimaviciene Arturas Kaklauskas Tomas Gecys |
| author_sort | Laura Tupenaite |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The built environment significantly contributes to climate change. There is pressure on the construction industry to find and use alternative sustainable environmentally friendly building materials to reduce the climate impact. Timber is increasingly being considered in the literature and used as a viable alternative for steel and concrete in both residential and non-residential building projects as it is a renewable material and has multiple benefits for reducing carbon (CO<sub>2</sub>) emissions and consequently climate change. This study aims to research the benefits of sustainable timber construction in terms of climate change. To achieve this aim, a systematic literature review was performed based on the research conducted between 1998 and 2022. For this purpose, research papers were searched from the Web of Science database and screened by applying a combination of keywords and the criteria for academic publication selection, including climate change, timber or wooden building, renewable material, sustainable material, carbon sink, carbon reduction, embodied energy, lifecycle assessment, and the circular economy. Further, a quantitative analysis of publications was performed using a science mapping approach, and qualitative content analysis was then conducted in three areas of research: timber as a sustainable construction material, the carbon storage of and reduction in GHG/CO<sub>2</sub> emissions, and the circular economy. Research trends, general findings, and knowledge gaps were identified, and future research directions were indicated. The literature review proves that timber construction is a potential solution to reduce climate change. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-11T05:11:19Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-aed928d0c7474f369516e7d3ad8d21d3 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2075-5309 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-11T05:11:19Z |
| publishDate | 2023-04-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Buildings |
| spelling | doaj.art-aed928d0c7474f369516e7d3ad8d21d32023-11-17T18:35:46ZengMDPI AGBuildings2075-53092023-04-0113497610.3390/buildings13040976Timber Construction as a Solution to Climate Change: A Systematic Literature ReviewLaura Tupenaite0Loreta Kanapeckiene1Jurga Naimaviciene2Arturas Kaklauskas3Tomas Gecys4Department of Construction Management and Real Estate, Faculty of Civil Engineering, Vilnius Gediminas Technical University, Sauletekio al. 11, LT-10223 Vilnius, LithuaniaDepartment of Construction Management and Real Estate, Faculty of Civil Engineering, Vilnius Gediminas Technical University, Sauletekio al. 11, LT-10223 Vilnius, LithuaniaDepartment of Construction Management and Real Estate, Faculty of Civil Engineering, Vilnius Gediminas Technical University, Sauletekio al. 11, LT-10223 Vilnius, LithuaniaDepartment of Construction Management and Real Estate, Faculty of Civil Engineering, Vilnius Gediminas Technical University, Sauletekio al. 11, LT-10223 Vilnius, LithuaniaDepartment of Steel and Composite Structures, Faculty of Civil Engineering, Vilnius Gediminas Technical University, Sauletekio al. 11, LT-10223 Vilnius, LithuaniaThe built environment significantly contributes to climate change. There is pressure on the construction industry to find and use alternative sustainable environmentally friendly building materials to reduce the climate impact. Timber is increasingly being considered in the literature and used as a viable alternative for steel and concrete in both residential and non-residential building projects as it is a renewable material and has multiple benefits for reducing carbon (CO<sub>2</sub>) emissions and consequently climate change. This study aims to research the benefits of sustainable timber construction in terms of climate change. To achieve this aim, a systematic literature review was performed based on the research conducted between 1998 and 2022. For this purpose, research papers were searched from the Web of Science database and screened by applying a combination of keywords and the criteria for academic publication selection, including climate change, timber or wooden building, renewable material, sustainable material, carbon sink, carbon reduction, embodied energy, lifecycle assessment, and the circular economy. Further, a quantitative analysis of publications was performed using a science mapping approach, and qualitative content analysis was then conducted in three areas of research: timber as a sustainable construction material, the carbon storage of and reduction in GHG/CO<sub>2</sub> emissions, and the circular economy. Research trends, general findings, and knowledge gaps were identified, and future research directions were indicated. The literature review proves that timber construction is a potential solution to reduce climate change.https://www.mdpi.com/2075-5309/13/4/976timber constructionclimate changesystematic literature reviewscience mappingfuture research directions |
| spellingShingle | Laura Tupenaite Loreta Kanapeckiene Jurga Naimaviciene Arturas Kaklauskas Tomas Gecys Timber Construction as a Solution to Climate Change: A Systematic Literature Review Buildings timber construction climate change systematic literature review science mapping future research directions |
| title | Timber Construction as a Solution to Climate Change: A Systematic Literature Review |
| title_full | Timber Construction as a Solution to Climate Change: A Systematic Literature Review |
| title_fullStr | Timber Construction as a Solution to Climate Change: A Systematic Literature Review |
| title_full_unstemmed | Timber Construction as a Solution to Climate Change: A Systematic Literature Review |
| title_short | Timber Construction as a Solution to Climate Change: A Systematic Literature Review |
| title_sort | timber construction as a solution to climate change a systematic literature review |
| topic | timber construction climate change systematic literature review science mapping future research directions |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2075-5309/13/4/976 |
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