AkzoNobel Whitepaper Makes The Case For Wood In More Sustainable Buildings

New lifecycle assessment finds that, in the assessed scenarios, timber-based façades and window frames have lower cradle-to-grave carbon footprints than aluminum, steel and PVC alternatives.

AkzoNobel is marking World Green Building Week with the launch of ‘The case for wood in more sustainable buildings’, a new whitepaper developed in collaboration with the University of Amsterdam. The whitepaper examines how responsibly sourced and properly protected timber can support lower-carbon building choices while delivering durability, robust performance and architectural quality. It also demonstrates how material selection and protective coating systems can work together to help reduce a building’s overall lifecycle carbon footprint.

The whitepaper presents findings from a comparative lifecycle assessment of representative façade panels and window frames made from wood and other commonly used materials, including aluminum, steel and PVC. The assessment considers the full lifecycle of each system, including material production, coating application, use, maintenance, transport and end-of-life scenarios. 

 The analysis found that wood-based façades and window frames had lower cradle-to-grave carbon footprints than the non-wood alternatives. The study also shows that the substrate is the primary driver of total carbon emissions, while coatings contribute a relatively small share ranging from 4% to 37% of the assessed footprint depending on the material and application. 

 The whitepaper highlights three practical implications for architects, engineers, developers and manufacturers:

• Material choice is the biggest lever: Selecting timber for suitable façade and window applications has the potential to reduce lifecycle carbon emissions compared with aluminum, steel and PVC alternatives.

• Durability should be assessed over the whole building life: High-quality coating systems can have a slightly higher initial carbon contribution, but can extend maintenance and repair intervals and reduce the likelihood of premature replacement.

• Specification must be application-led: Timber, coating systems, design, installation and maintenance strategies need to be considered together to achieve the required performance over the intended service life.

  
  

The assessment used market-average Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs) for substrates and AkzoNobel Product Carbon Footprints (PCFs) for paints and coatings, with conservative assumptions applied to maintenance and end-of-life scenarios.

In the assessed scenarios, coatings account for approximately 21% of the wood frame’s total carbon footprint which also includes coatings applications associated with maintenance, compared with 4% for aluminum. However, that 21% is calculated against a much smaller total: approximately 19kg CO2e per square meter for a wood frame, compared with 93kg for aluminum. Similarly, coatings account for approximately 37% of a wood façade panel’s total carbon footprint, compared with 13% for aluminum and 19% for steel. Again, this higher percentage is calculated against a much smaller total: approximately 15kg CO2e per square meter for wood, compared with 28kg for aluminum and 99kg for steel. 

These findings reflect the whitepaper’s central message: the substrate is the dominant driver of total carbon footprint, while coatings create value by protecting the substrate and extending its service life. Coatings should therefore be evaluated not only by their own carbon footprint, but also by how effectively they protect timber against moisture, UV radiation and wear, helping to preserve its performance and longevity and helping reduce embodied carbon over a building’s lifetime. For project teams, this means considering material selection, detailing, coating protection and maintenance when specifying an element. 

The whitepaper also explains how AkzoNobel supplies important data to specifiers, helping them select the right products for protecting timber in façades, windows, interiors and supporting structures.

“Specifiers need to balance performance, durability and carbon impact and we can help them see the full picture by providing the relevant sustainability data,” says Tessa Slagter, Sustainable Innovation Manager for AkzoNobel’s Industrial Coatings business. “By offering building solutions that are both lower carbon and built to last, we can help them make more sustainable building choices.”

The whitepaper also highlights the wider value of timber in the built environment. Beyond its carbon profile, wood supports biophilic design – the integration of natural elements into built environments - contributing warmth and character. Engineered timber products such as cross-laminated timber panels and glue-laminated timber (glulam) structural beams and columns provide a high strength-to-weight ratio, allowing structures to be lighter than equivalent concrete or steel designs and potentially reduce foundation requirements while simplifying transport and assembly. Prefabricated timber elements can also be produced with high precision in factory conditions, enabling rapid on-site installation and reducing construction waste.

AkzoNobel supports manufacturers, OEMs and project teams with industrial wood coatings, wood adhesives for applications including windows, doors, façades, cladding, furniture and cabinetry. The company can help project teams compare material and coating options, recommend systems and maintenance strategies for specific applications and climates, support lifecycle assessments and green building certification programs, and collaborate on pilot projects and case studies.

The case for wood in more sustainable buildings whitepaper is available to download at https://akzonobel-industrial-woodcoatings.com/building-a-more-sustainable-future-with-wood. For further information, or to discuss a project-specific question, contact your local AkzoNobel representative or visit https://akzonobel-industrial-woodcoatings.com/contact-us