Embodied Energy of Plywood – A gate to gate study

Global warming and climate change are the environmental challenges that has intensified awareness of the ecological impacts of products throughout their lifecycle. This has driven consumers, architects, and builders to favour sustainable materials, often termed "green building materials." For a product to qualify as green, it must have minimal environmental impact and low embodied energy which could be assessed thorough Life Cycle Analysis (LCA). This study examines the gate-to-gate life cycle assessment of plywood manufacturing in India. Findings indicate that plywood offers significant environmental benefits compared to materials like steel, aluminium, and concrete. Plywood stores net carbon which was absorbed by wood during its growth retaining it throughout the life. Unlike conventional materials, which emit carbon during production, plywood only releases absorbed carbon when incinerated at the end of its life. Thus, plywood is classified as a green building material, supporting carbon neutrality and sustainability in construction industry.