Carbon sequestration by harvested wood products by direct inventory method: a case study

Harvested wood products (HWPs) constitute a significant and dynamic carbon pool within the global carbon cycle, functioning alongside major reservoirs such as soils and oceans. Unlike many conventional construction materials, HWPs retain biogenic carbon fixed during tree growth and function as long-term carbon sinks. In this context, the present study is undertaken to quantitatively assess the contribution of wood-based materials incorporated in various buildings of a college campus to carbon sequestration by Direct inventory method. For this purpose, volume of wood products used in hostel, mess, sports equipment, library and class room was estimated and the total carbon stock associated with these products was calculated by considering the type of material like solid wood, plywood, particle board and MDF. In addition, the volume of non-wood material such as steel and iron used in these products were also calculated to evaluate the possible carbon sequestration benefits. The results showed that the total volume of wood products was 25.45 m³, with an estimated carbon sequestration potential of 7284.45 kg, equivalent to 26,732.86 kg of CO_2. However, these estimates may vary considerably due to the assumption of a standard wood density across all products. The study further revealed that furniture design significantly influences carbon storage, as chair types combining wood with metal frames contained substantially lower wood volumes, resulting in reduced carbon sequestration. The study highlights the prominent role of small wood products in carbon capturing, which recommend the use of wood products in the building component and furniture especially.