Negative emission potentials using biogenic building materials

Significant reductions in carbon footprint can be achieved by increasing the use of biogenic materials in construction. In biogenic materials, carbon is embedded as long as the materials are not biologically degraded, and they consequently act as carbon reservoirs that keep CO2 out of the atmosphere. The reservoirs of carbon are maintained if the biogenic materials during maintenance and renovation are replaced by similar ones. Buildings containing more wood, straw, and other biogenic materials and less concrete, steel, and mineral wool are therefore part of the way forward for a sustainable restructuring of the construction industry. Until now, the main focus has been on reducing energy consumption of buildings, while less focus has been on energy consumption and the climate impact from the production of materials and the construction process itself. This paper examines the potential carbon reservoir in the building stock in Denmark for the next 100 years. In detail the paper describes potential building components made from biogenic resources, outlines the necessary amounts and qualities of biogenic materials, and summarizes the available biogenic resources. The article is based on the conditions for construction in Denmark and the opportunities Denmark has as an industrialized agricultural country with a long coastline, which can be utilized in the production of biogenic resources for manufacturing of building materials.