CO2 Footprint of Wood

CO₂ Footprint of Wood: Sustainably Sourced Wood

CO₂ Footprint: At Van Biezen Wood Import, we believe in sustainable business practices. As a timber importer, we are aware of our environmental impact, particularly the CO₂ emissions associated with the production, transport, and use of wood. Therefore, we are actively committed to reducing our CO₂ footprint, from source to final product.

CO₂ and Wood: A Natural Balance

Wood is a naturally environmentally friendly material. During growth, a tree absorbs CO₂ from the atmosphere and stores it in its trunk, branches, and roots. When wood is harvested and used sustainably, that CO₂ remains stored for a long time. This makes wood a renewable and relatively low-carbon raw material – provided it is managed responsibly.

Mapping our CO₂ chain

We are analysing our CO₂ emissions in the following points:

• Forestry and fellingWe exclusively use wood from sustainably managed forests (FSC® / PEFC certified). This ensures reforestation and continuous CO₂ absorption.
• TransportTransport is a significant factor in wood's CO₂ footprint. We optimise our logistics by making as much use of full containers as possible, and we collaborate with carriers who are committed to cleaner fuels.

The The ecological footprint of wood is relatively small. low compared to many other building materials, if the wood originates from sustainably managed forests.

Wat is de ecologische voetafdruk van hout?

The ecological footprint of a product indicates how many natural resources are needed to produce, use and ultimately dispose of or recycle it. Think of:

• Energy consumption (in production and transport)
• CO₂ emissions
• Land use
• Water consumption
• Impact on biodiversity

🌳 Why wood is relatively sustainable

✅ 1. CO₂ storage

Trees absorb CO₂ from the atmosphere as they grow. This carbon remains stored in the wood, even after the tree has been felled and the wood is used (for example, in furniture or buildings). This makes wood a carbon-sequestering material.

• One cubic metre of wood stores approximately 1 tonne of CO₂: this is, of course, dependent on the type of wood. For softwood, this is around 900 kg per m³.
• As wood products last longer, the CO₂ remains stored for longer
• An individual coniferous tree absorbs between 10 and 40 kg of CO2 annually.
• A 30-year-old tree has stored approximately one tonne of CO2.

The yield per year is lower than the storage per cubic metre, because a tree needs several years to grow one cubic metre.

✅ 2. Renewable material

Timber is renewable — if it is managed and replanted sustainably, there is no depletion of natural resources.

✅ 3. Low production costs (ecological)

When processing wood (sawing, drying, planing), considerably less energy is generally required than for the production of steel, concrete, or plastic, for example.

• Processing wood requires 4 times less energy than concrete, 60 times less than steel and 130 times less than aluminium.

• The average CO₂ emission of Wood is = -1000 kg/m3
• The average CO₂ emission of Dutch concrete is = + 300 kg/m3
• The average CO₂ emission of PVC is = + 6616 kg/m³
• The average CO₂ emission of Steel is = + 7850kg/m3
• The average CO₂ emissions of aluminum are +21750kg/m³

Source: Centrum Hout, Regen Fiber, Nibe, TNO

For example, 1 m³ of oak contains approximately 1059 kg of CO2 stored within it. This is equivalent to the emissions from roughly 9,000 km driven by a mid-range car, or the electricity consumption of approximately 2 households for an entire year.

Conclusion

Wood is one of the most ecologically responsible materials., as long as it is sustainably sourced and efficiently applied. By consciously choosing certified wood and well-designed applications, the ecological footprint of wood is even Climate positive.