< Back to previous page

Project

Assessing Circularity of Wood Cascading

The research aims to develop a framework to assess the circularity of the wood-cascading system. This assessment framework will be developed based on a particular case of wood-cascading system of Flanders (Belgium) – the use waste wood-panels in material application. The framework will evaluate if the cascading use of post-consumer wood-panels in a material application (instead of energy application) reduces environmental impact and enhances circularity of the wood-value chain. The research will start with developing the material flow analysis (MFA) of the wood-value chain of Flanders, including the wood directed towards material and energy use in Flanders. Secondly, the technological developments will be evaluated to develop the potential case for downstream application of waste wood-panels. The technological feasibility and economic viability of the potential scenario of wood cascades will be evaluated, by applying a techno-economic assessment (TEA) framework. This is to ensure a realistic end-of-life scenario for wood-panels. The circularity assessment framework will be developed using the Life cycle assessment (LCA) methodology and Statistical entropy analysis (SEA) methodology. The LCA methodology evaluates the environmental impact and resource efficiency of the system, while SEA methodology evaluates the resource effectiveness of the system. The framework will be elaborated considering also the existing circularity indicators. The research will result in a metric indicating the circularity of the current wood-value chain and the change in circularity of the system due to further cascading use of waste wood-panels. This framework will serve both the policy-makers and the wood industry. For administration, it will be a mean to evaluate different cascading scenarios resulting from policy advances. This will allow Flemish policy makers to stimulate optimal wood use in Flanders. For industry, the framework will assist in evaluating sustainability of their products and assess the value created by their products in circular systems.

Date:16 Apr 2018 →  6 Sep 2022
Keywords:Circular economy, Cascading, Wood-value chain
Disciplines:Ceramic and glass materials, Materials science and engineering, Semiconductor materials, Other materials engineering
Project type:PhD project