Friday, January 16, 2026
In sustainable construction, low-carbon materials are increasingly being integrated into design strategies to meet environmental goals. Investors, developers, and contractors now consider not only the cost, durability, and aesthetics of a project but also its overall impact on the climate. This has led to a growing demand for materials that align with Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs), highlighting their contribution to sustainable practices.
Among these materials, plywood has become a frontrunner in sustainable building. Thanks to its low carbon footprint and biogenic properties, plywood offers a significant advantage over traditional building materials. It is gaining momentum, particularly in projects seeking certifications under systems like LEED and BREEAM, which evaluate the environmental performance of buildings.
Plywood’s Role in Low-Carbon Construction
With a Global Warming Potential (GWP) that is notably lower than concrete or steel, plywood is a standout choice in the push towards climate-neutral buildings. Unlike steel and concrete, which emit carbon dioxide (CO₂) during their production, wood products such as plywood store carbon throughout their lifecycle. Plywood manufactured from sustainably sourced wood, such as the Paged Plywood offering, binds carbon within its structure, contributing to a lower overall environmental impact.
In recent years, the inclusion of EPDs in building materials has become a standard for assessing their environmental footprint. These documents provide verified, transparent insights into a product’s life cycle, from production to disposal. This transparency is particularly important in today’s building market, where investors and contractors are under increasing pressure to demonstrate alignment with climate and Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) goals.
Plywood and the Circular Economy
Wood-based materials like plywood support the circular economy by ensuring that products can be reused or recycled at the end of their life cycle. When used in buildings, plywood not only contributes to a structure’s carbon neutrality but also improves the overall environmental balance by reducing the need for high-emission materials like steel or concrete. As such, plywood has become a go-to material for sustainable construction projects across Europe.
For example, plywood sourced from State Forests (PGL “Lasy Państwowe”) in Poland has shown an impressive carbon footprint of just 7 kg CO₂e per cubic metre. This figure accounts for the entire life cycle of the wood, from the planting of the tree to its harvesting. More specifically, species commonly used in plywood production, such as birch and pine, have even lower footprints — 5.53 kg CO₂e and 6.95 kg CO₂e per cubic metre, respectively.
Even for species with a higher footprint, such as oak and beech, the carbon absorption of the trees far outweighs the emissions associated with their harvesting. This supports the sustainability of the wood, which continues to capture and store carbon even after it is processed into plywood.
The Importance of EPDs in Green Certifications
An Environmental Product Declaration (EPD) is a verified report that outlines a product’s environmental impacts over its entire life cycle. For manufacturers like Paged Plywood, the EPD provides an in-depth analysis of how their products contribute to reducing environmental harm. For contractors and developers, an EPD serves as evidence that the materials used have a verified low carbon footprint, which is crucial for meeting green building certification requirements.
For example, Paged Plywood’s EPD reflects a detailed analysis of its hydrothermal treatment, peeling, gluing, pressing, and finishing operations, all of which are designed to minimise energy use and reduce emissions. These processes help maintain the material’s strength and durability while ensuring that its environmental impact remains minimal.
The widespread use of EPDs in construction projects helps mitigate the risk of “greenwashing” — misleading claims about the environmental benefits of products. Instead, EPDs provide hard data that can be used by designers, contractors, and investors to make informed decisions about material selection.
Plywood’s Contribution to LEED and BREEAM
In both LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) and BREEAM (Building Research Establishment Environmental Assessment Method), materials with verified EPDs can significantly enhance a project’s certification score. For instance, under LEED, plywood with an EPD qualifies for credits in the Materials & Resources (MR) category, particularly in MRc2 for Environmental Product Declarations. LEED also rewards the responsible sourcing of wood, such as FSC® or PEFC certified timber, which can earn additional points.
Similarly, in BREEAM, plywood with an EPD supports credits in the Mat 01 category, which assesses the life cycle impacts of materials. By using FSC® or PEFC certified plywood, projects can earn extra credits, further increasing their chances of achieving a higher certification level, such as LEED Gold or BREEAM Excellent.
Plywood’s Environmental Advantages Over Steel and Concrete
The carbon footprint of plywood is significantly lower than that of other structural materials. For example, aluminium has an estimated carbon footprint of 17,000 kg CO₂e per cubic metre, while steel and concrete are estimated at 12,500 kg CO₂e and 270 kg CO₂e per cubic metre, respectively. In contrast, plywood has a carbon footprint of just 540 kg CO₂e per cubic metre, while it stores 650–700 kg CO₂e per cubic metre, effectively making it a carbon-neutral material.
Replacing steel or concrete with wood-based materials such as plywood or cross-laminated timber (CLT) can reduce a building’s carbon footprint by up to 50%. This reduction is a key advantage in meeting climate targets and promoting low-carbon construction.
Benefits for Investors and Contractors
For investors and contractors, selecting plywood with an EPD offers several advantages. It supports higher LEED and BREEAM certification levels, which can increase the market value of the building and attract more tenants or financing. The EPD data also ensures compliance with ESG goals, providing a clear, verifiable record of the material’s environmental impact.
Using low-carbon materials like plywood also positions a project as environmentally responsible, aligning with climate policies and enhancing the project’s reputation in the market.
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Tags: BREEAM certification, circular economy, FSC certified wood, green building certifications, LEED certification timber, plywood, sustainable building materials, sustainable construction
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