Thesis
EVALUATION OF ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT OF STEEL AND MASS TIMBER ARCHETYPE BUILDINGS LOCATED IN SEATTLE, WASHINGTON
Washington State University
Master of Science (MS), Washington State University
01/2021
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.7273/000005414
Handle:
https://hdl.handle.net/2376/118987
Abstract
The objective of this study was to quantify and compare the environmental impacts associated with alternative designs of typical North American low and mid-rise buildings. Two scenarios were considered: 1) a traditional structural steel frame and 2) an all-wood mass timber design, utilizing engineered wood products for both gravity and lateral load resistance. The boundary of the quantitative analysis was cradle-to-grave with considerations taken to discuss end-of-life and material reuse scenarios. The TRACI methodology was followed to conduct a Life Cycle Impact Assessment (LCIA) analysis that translates building quantities to environmental impact indicators using the Athena Impact Estimator for Buildings Life Cycle analysis software tool and Athena’s Life Cycle Inventory database. The results of the analysis show that mass timber buildings have an advantage with respect to several environmental impact categories, including eutrophication potential, human health particulate, and global warming potential where a 31% to 41% reduction was found from mass timber to steel designs, neglecting potential carbon sequestration benefits from the timber products. However, it was also found that the steel buildings have a lower impact with respect to the environmental impact categories of smog potential, acidification potential, and ozone depletion potential, where a 48% to 58% reduction was found from the steel to the mass timber building designs.
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Details
- Title
- EVALUATION OF ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT OF STEEL AND MASS TIMBER ARCHETYPE BUILDINGS LOCATED IN SEATTLE, WASHINGTON
- Creators
- Kevin M Allan
- Contributors
- Adam R Phillips (Advisor)Donald A Bender (Committee Member)David E Gunderson (Committee Member)
- Awarding Institution
- Washington State University
- Academic Unit
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering
- Theses and Dissertations
- Master of Science (MS), Washington State University
- Publisher
- Washington State University
- Number of pages
- 52
- Identifiers
- 99900592057901842
- Language
- English
- Resource Type
- Thesis