Greenhouse Gas Emission Reduction Through Wood-Based Furniture Substitution: Analysis of Displacement Factors

Abstract

Substituting the use of non-renewable materials with wood-based products in the furniture industry is expected to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. This substitution effect can be quantified by estimating the displacement factor (DF) of wood products. However, the lack of a standardized DF calculation method limits a reliable estimation of DFs for wood substitution in the furniture industry. Herein, DF values were determined for wood substitution in office furniture in Korea using three DF calculation methods, single DF, replacement rate-based DF, and more/less wood-intensive DF. The results indicated that substituting non-wood furniture with wood-based furniture can help reduce GHG emissions, with the most positive DF values observed. The negative DF values generated using the replacement rate-based DF method highlighted the importance of weight calculation when considering wood products. However, the difference in DF calculation methods between studies and the lack of life cycle assessment (LCA) data in Korea must be addressed. In conclusion, these results emphasize the need for a standardized DF calculation method and LCA data to improve the accuracy and applicability of the DF of wood-based furniture products. The present results provide insights into the environmental benefits of replacing non-wood products with wood products in the furniture industry.