ModWoodLife

The forest-based sector can become a leader in achieving the European Commission’s ambitious target of reducing CO₂ emissions with innovative production technologies, reduced energy consumption, increased wood products recycling, and reuse. Apart from these undoubted environmental benefits, the use of forest products in long life products, such as built environment applications, allows for the possibility of extended storage of atmospheric carbon dioxide. Wood modification (chemical, thermal, impregnation) is an assortment of the innovative processes currently being adopted. Though many aspects of these treatments are known, the fundamental influence of the process on product performance, the environment, and end of life scenarios remain unknown. It is essential to integrate interactive assessment of process parameters, developed product properties, and environmental impacts. To optimize modification processing to minimize environmental impacts, much more information must be gathered about all process related factors affecting the environment (VOC, energy use, end of life use, etc.).

This Action will investigate modification processing and products design with emphasis on their environmental impacts. This will require analysis of the whole value chain, from forest through processing, installation, in-service, end of life, second/third life (cascading) and ultimately incineration with energy recovery.

The main aim of this Action is to characterize the relationship between modification processing, product properties, and the associated environmental impacts. This includes the development and optimization of modified processing and quantification of the impacts of emerging treatment technologies compared to traditional processing and alternative materials to maximize sustainability and minimize environmental impacts.

Read more in the Memorandum of Understanding.

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