Biogenic materials for housing

Biogenic is a broad terms that refers to materials of biological origin. At its most wide ranging, this could include fossil fuels that owe their formation to biological activities from previous geological epochs. However the term is commonly reserved for materials of relatively recent biological origin within the context of the construction sector, including timber; it also covers lower-profile materials currently used in niche applications.

Use of biogenic construction materials provides the opportunity for them to act as a reservoir of sequestered carbon.

This research summary examines various approaches to the assessment of environmental credentials of renewable building materials. The summary also highlights the numerous barriers to be overcome and poses recommendations on how to improve the use of biogenic materials in the UK in order to help the country's construction industry meet carbon targets.

Contents

• Introduction
• Literature review and data evaluation
• Model design and input
• Results
• Discussion
• Conclusions
• Recommendations
• TRADA Technology comments