Net Zero Buildings

Lock up carbon.

Wood building that locks up carbon.

Turn your next project into a carbon sink.

Cities built from bio-based materials like timber can help turn cities from carbon emitters into carbon sinks. Increasing the use of wood in commercial buildings could cut emissions by an average of 60% —equivalent to taking 4.4 million cars off the road.

Check out our library to learn more about wood’s carbon impact.

What is embodied carbon in buildings?

The built environment is responsible for ~40% of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and roughly a third are from embodied carbon, the GHG emissions associated with one or more lifecycle stages of a building material. Without decisive action, building materials used in new construction in cities across the globe will generate 100 gigatons of embodied carbon by 2050. Our sector has a critical role to play in reducing emissions. 

Basics of Wood’s Carbon Footprint

Understand wood’s carbon benefits and how they stack up against other building materials to inform your project design.

Frequently Asked Questions

About Wood’s Carbon Footprint

  • Do the carbon emissions produced by forestry activities negate the carbon storage benefits of wood and wood products?

  • Is using wood the best carbon mitigation pathway? Isn’t it better to let trees grow?

  • Doesn’t cutting down trees to manufacture wood products reduce forests’ ability to store carbon?

  • How does wood’s carbon footprint compare to the other primary structural materials, like concrete or steel?

  • I’ve heard wood stores carbon. How does that work?

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