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Timber's Green Revolution: Sustainable Construction from Start to Finish
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Timber's Green Revolution: Sustainable Construction from Start to Finish

A special issue of Sustainability (ISSN 2071-1050). This special issue belongs to the section "Sustainable Materials".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 December 2024 | Viewed by 7350

Special Issue Editor

Dr. Manuel Carpio

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
National Centre of Excellence for the Timber Industry of Chile, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago, Chile
Interests: sustainable constructions; life cycle assessment; timber construction; sustainability

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

There is a growing awareness of the importance of using environmentally sustainable materials in construction. Timber in particular is experiencing a surge in popularity within the construction sector due to its renewable nature and significant social and environmental benefits. To utilize timber sustainably in construction, it is essential to consider the entire value chain of the timber sector, from its initial stages to the finished products. This chain begins with forest management and silviculture, encompassing various aspects related to the growth and development of forests. It extends to forest development, which focuses on the responsible use and conservation of natural resources, ensuring the production of goods and services. The subsequent phase involves the timber industry, where raw materials are processed and transformed into various new products following harvesting and transportation.

In this Special Issue, we invite high-quality original research articles that explore the following topics:

  • Quantification of resources and assessment of threats, such as fire, soil, and water;
  • Proposal of measures to ensure the sustainability of territories;
  • Implementation of measures to enhance the productivity, quality, and diversity of forests;
  • Development of structural products;
  • Creation of non-structural products;
  • Manufacturing using cutting-edge technology;
  • Modification of properties and functionalities;
  • Waste recovery;
  • Innovative materials;
  • Seismic engineering of timber structures;
  • Timber–concrete hybrid buildings;
  • Design and construction of medium and high-rise structures;
  • Development of new types of walls, slabs, and roofs;
  • Strategies for fire protection;
  • Construction management, digitalization, and industrialization;
  • Preservation and durability methods;
  • Quantification and enhancement of the sustainability of timber constructions;
  • Urban planning and public policies promoting timber-based construction;
  • Any other topic related to timber throughout its life cycle.

Looking forward to your valuable contributions.

Warm regards,

Dr. Manuel Carpio
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Sustainability is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2400 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • timber
  • building
  • construction
  • forest
  • fire
  • life cycle

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Published Papers (6 papers)

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Research

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13 pages, 3015 KiB  
Article
Applicability of Paper and Pulp Industry Waste for Manufacturing Mycelium-Based Materials for Thermoacoustic Insulation
by Hugo Muñoz, Paulo Molina, Ignacio A. Urzúa-Parra, Diego A. Vasco, Magdalena Walczak, Gonzalo Rodríguez-Grau, Francisco Chateau and Mamié Sancy
Sustainability 2024, 16(18), 8034; https://doi.org/10.3390/su16188034 - 13 Sep 2024
Viewed by 772
Abstract
Cellulose and paper produce significant waste such as ash, activated sludge, and sludge from the pulp and paper industry. Depending on the raw material, legislation, and subprocesses, these sludges contain around 30–50% organic matter, mainly composed of less than 0.02 mm cellulose fibers [...] Read more.
Cellulose and paper produce significant waste such as ash, activated sludge, and sludge from the pulp and paper industry. Depending on the raw material, legislation, and subprocesses, these sludges contain around 30–50% organic matter, mainly composed of less than 0.02 mm cellulose fibers and hemicellulose and lignin. This work used sludge from the pulp and paper industry as a substrate for manufacturing mycelium-based biomaterials using the white rot fungus Trametes versicolor. Chemical and surface analyses revealed the formation of new materials. Acoustic impedance analyses revealed that these materials have a noise reduction coefficient and sound absorption average comparable to extruded polystyrene and polyurethane. In addition, the material’s thermal conductivity was near that of sheep wool. Therefore, the biomaterials fabricated using sludge and Trametes versicolor have the potential to be a game-changer in the industry as promising thermoacoustic insulators. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Timber's Green Revolution: Sustainable Construction from Start to Finish)
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20 pages, 4347 KiB  
Article
Increases in the Amounts of Agricultural Surfaces and Their Impact on the Sustainability of Groundwater Resources in North-Central Chile
by Roberto Pizarro, Francisca Borcoski, Ben Ingram, Ramón Bustamante-Ortega, Claudia Sangüesa, Alfredo Ibáñez, Cristóbal Toledo, Cristian Vidal and Pablo A. Garcia-Chevesich
Sustainability 2024, 16(17), 7570; https://doi.org/10.3390/su16177570 - 1 Sep 2024
Viewed by 871
Abstract
Water is a fundamental resource for Chile’s productive structure, which is more important in arid areas, and especially with agricultural uses. This study was based on two basins (Cogotí and Illapel) located in the Coquimbo Region of north-central Chile. In this region, surface [...] Read more.
Water is a fundamental resource for Chile’s productive structure, which is more important in arid areas, and especially with agricultural uses. This study was based on two basins (Cogotí and Illapel) located in the Coquimbo Region of north-central Chile. In this region, surface water rights were closed in 2002 and the only current option is the use of groundwater. These basins have high water demands due to the use of surface and groundwater for agricultural purposes, a fact that should influence the sustainability of groundwater reserves over time. The objective of this study was to determine how much agricultural use has affected the availability of groundwater in two basins. Under the previous context, the evolution of agricultural irrigation surfaces was evaluated using Landsat images and forest classifications. Similarly, groundwater reserves were evaluated using the recessive curves of hydrographs associated with the beginning of each hydrological year. The results show an increase in the agricultural area between 1996 and 2016, with a subsequent decrease, while groundwater reserves denoted significant decreases over time. In conclusion, a significant decrease in the volumes of groundwater reserves in both basins was observed, a decrease that is consistent with the increase in irrigated areas. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Timber's Green Revolution: Sustainable Construction from Start to Finish)
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15 pages, 2122 KiB  
Article
The Adhesion Performance in Green-Glued Finger Joints Using Different Wood Ring Orientations
by Gonzalo Rodríguez-Grau, Pierre-Louis Cordonnier, Benjamín Navarrete, Claudio Montero, Claudia Alvarado, Régis Pommier, Víctor Rosales and Carlos Galarce
Sustainability 2024, 16(16), 7158; https://doi.org/10.3390/su16167158 - 20 Aug 2024
Viewed by 545
Abstract
Structural lumber is designed to meet the technical standards that ensure safety, cost-effectiveness, and sustainability. However, some tree species face limitations in their growth, which restricts their widespread use. An example of this is Nothofagus alpina, which has excellent mechanical properties but [...] Read more.
Structural lumber is designed to meet the technical standards that ensure safety, cost-effectiveness, and sustainability. However, some tree species face limitations in their growth, which restricts their widespread use. An example of this is Nothofagus alpina, which has excellent mechanical properties but is not utilized much due to the challenges in extracting its timber and poor utilization, mainly because of the length of the wood. There is little information concerned with the uses and better management of small pieces using Nothofagus species, but it is still insufficient. This study investigates the adhesion performance of green-glued finger joints with varying wood ring orientations and moisture contents ranging from 21% to 25% using Nothofagus alpina. The primary aim is to assess how ring orientation and wet timber affect the green gluing process for creating larger wood pieces than sawn wood. The resulting products could meet the standards for wood serviceability number three for native Chilean wood. The findings indicate that finger joint performance improves with higher timber moisture levels. However, the orientation of the wood fibers did not significantly affect the performance under the tested conditions. It is important to note that this effect may become more significant near the fiber saturation point. These findings emphasize the need for a detailed protocol on the green gluing technique for Nothofagus alpina and the associated drying and surface processes in finger joint construction. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Timber's Green Revolution: Sustainable Construction from Start to Finish)
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18 pages, 2051 KiB  
Article
Life Cycle Assessment and Cost Analysis of Mid-Rise Mass Timber vs. Concrete Buildings in Australia
by Riley Jolly, Holly Fairweather, Scott Rayburg and John Rodwell
Sustainability 2024, 16(15), 6465; https://doi.org/10.3390/su16156465 - 28 Jul 2024
Viewed by 1252
Abstract
The building and construction industry is one of the largest greenhouse gas producers, accounting for 39% of global emissions, most of these coming from concrete and steel. Mass timber construction (MTC) potentially offers a sustainable alternative to these traditional building materials. However, more [...] Read more.
The building and construction industry is one of the largest greenhouse gas producers, accounting for 39% of global emissions, most of these coming from concrete and steel. Mass timber construction (MTC) potentially offers a sustainable alternative to these traditional building materials. However, more research is needed to establish the sustainability credentials of MTC relative to traditional concrete and steel structures, especially for mid-rise structures. The aim of this study is to evaluate the environmental and cost performance of mid-rise mass timber buildings by conducting a life cycle assessment (LCA). The LCA uses a cradle-to-cradle approach, considering the global warming potential (GWP), freshwater use (FW), and total use of non-renewable primary energy resources (PENRT). Results indicated that mid-rise mass timber buildings have significantly lower impacts than concrete buildings, with their GWP approximately 30 times lower, FW about 20 times lower, and PENRT reaching a negative value. Additionally, the cost analysis revealed that MTC buildings can be cheaper to build and thus possibly more profitable than concrete buildings. These findings establish mass timber as a viable and sustainable option for the future of Australia’s construction industry. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Timber's Green Revolution: Sustainable Construction from Start to Finish)
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25 pages, 7549 KiB  
Article
Bibliometric Analysis of Urban Coastal Development: Strategies for Climate-Resilient Timber Housing
by Andrés García-Ruiz, Manuel Díez-Minguito, Konstantin Verichev and Manuel Carpio
Sustainability 2024, 16(4), 1431; https://doi.org/10.3390/su16041431 - 8 Feb 2024
Viewed by 1170
Abstract
Urban development in coastal areas has become increasingly important due to the climate crisis and its effects on sea level rise and extreme events, which increased the vulnerability of coastal zones. Therefore, it is important to analyze possible sustainable development techniques in urban [...] Read more.
Urban development in coastal areas has become increasingly important due to the climate crisis and its effects on sea level rise and extreme events, which increased the vulnerability of coastal zones. Therefore, it is important to analyze possible sustainable development techniques in urban planning and residential housing construction based on low-carbon footprint materials such as timber. These techniques should be capable of mitigating the effects of flooding and uncontrolled rises in coastal areas, as well as identifying normative and economic differences in their application in the Chilean context. For this purpose, a bibliometric analysis of 3882 articles selected from the Web of Science database between 1987 and 2022 was conducted, allowing us to identify a range of possible solutions to be developed in the study area. This includes evaluating their potential for normative application and a cost analysis of these solutions. In this regard, housing solutions such as amphibious houses and houses on stilts are two types of flood-resistant homes that are gaining popularity worldwide. Following the technical–economic analysis, it was observed that the solution on stilts can be up to 50% more cost-effective to implement in Chile. However, both options offer a promising solution to minimize the risks of coastal flooding and should be taken into account in the urban planning of coastal areas. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Timber's Green Revolution: Sustainable Construction from Start to Finish)
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Review

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29 pages, 5373 KiB  
Review
Bibliometric Review of Prefabricated and Modular Timber Construction from 1990 to 2023: Evolution, Trends, and Current Challenges
by Nohelia Gutiérrez, João Negrão, Alfredo Dias and Pablo Guindos
Sustainability 2024, 16(5), 2134; https://doi.org/10.3390/su16052134 - 4 Mar 2024
Cited by 6 | Viewed by 2005
Abstract
Due to its inherent characteristics, such as a light weight and ease of workability, timber is ideal for prefabricated and modular construction. However, since the research in this field covers a wide range of niches such as structural engineering, building physics, design for [...] Read more.
Due to its inherent characteristics, such as a light weight and ease of workability, timber is ideal for prefabricated and modular construction. However, since the research in this field covers a wide range of niches such as structural engineering, building physics, design for assembly and disassembly, and life cycle analysis, among others, and since there has been considerable development of the field in past years—boosted by new mass timber products and tall timber construction—it is difficult to critically analyze the current state of the art, current trends, and research challenges. Therefore, this research aimed to cover a systematic review of 409 articles to assess the field of prefabricated and modular timber construction critically. The methodology comprised a co-word network approach using the Science Mapping Analysis Software Tool (SciMAT, Version 3) to illustrate their evolution from 1990 to 2023. The findings show that the circular economy and digital technologies significantly impact the development of these technologies, which can potentially provide practical solutions for designing buildings with a circular approach and improving productivity and efficiency in the construction process. However, it is essential to acknowledge a notable deficiency in the research and understanding of these subjects. Therefore, various sectors must take the lead in conducting a thorough reassessment to enhance research and development in the field. Finally, the findings from this research can significantly contribute to existing knowledge and serve as a comprehensive platform for the further exploration of prefabricated and modular timber construction. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Timber's Green Revolution: Sustainable Construction from Start to Finish)
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