A USDA Forest Product Laboratory’s life-cycle assessment of prefinished engineered wood flooring concluded that engineered wood flooring can be considered a “carbon-negative material” capable of storing carbon for decades and helping to mitigate climate change.
The study, sponsored by the Decorative Hardwoods Association, looked at the life cycle of engineered wood flooring from “cradle to grave,” examining the use and disposal stages of engineered wood flooring using data from literature and industry experts.
The study found that 39.3 kg CO2eq were released during the life cycle of 1 square meter (10.7 square feet) of engineered wood flooring. “Considering biogenic carbon emissions (i.e., carbon sequestration), the net global warming potential impact was decreased to 16.4 kg CO2eq because carbon is stored in the landfill (82% of total waste disposed of in landfill),” the study stated.
DHA called the results a “win for the industry” and “important proof of the superiority of real wood products.”
The full USDA report can be found here.
