Plywood – a sustainable material and green solutions for construction

All thanks to the ability to absorb carbon dioxide, wood is widely used as a green material. Approximately, the percentage of carbon dioxide takes 50% of the weight of wood, oxygen takes 42%, 6% for hydrogen, 1% for nitrogen, and 1% for other elements. This allows this material to operate significantly more efficiently than other materials – such as concrete or steel – from a carbon emission perspective. Awareness of wood’s enormous carbon storage capacity has driven the recent strong development of new wooden constructions.

However, we cannot solely rely on the carbon dioxide in wood to achieve environmental goals without considering the material’s lifecycle. Wood only functions as an effective “Carbon bank” if it does not rot, burn, or degrade. Except for some unfortunate endings of wooden structures – such as fires – which may occur beyond our control, other outcomes are fundamentally avoidable.

For example, some people might be surprised to know how much wood ends up in landfills. According to National Waste Associates, wood is the second most common component in construction and demolition (C&D) waste after concrete. “But unlike concrete and steel, which have relatively high recycling rates (98% and 82% respectively), a lot of wood waste from C&D goes straight to the landfill,” the organization stated. A large amount of such discarded materials will easily decompose and return carbon to the atmosphere, losing much of the initial good purpose of using wood. And few design teams may be considering this future carbon release in new projects.

Using wood efficiently in the construction field according to the Waste hierarchy, which includes: Prevent- Reduce-Reuse-Recycle-Recover-Dispose, solutions regarding types of materials that can use wood resources more efficiently with a longer lifespan is an effective method in protecting the environment towards the sustainable development of the construction industry in the future. One of them is Plywood – a green solution for sustainable construction.

In terms of optimizing raw material sources, plywood demonstrates superior efficiency in utilizing wood resources. Through the process of producing thin wood layers (veneer), a single tree trunk can be maximally utilized, creating a much larger usable surface area compared to solid wood. Not only that, the production process can also utilize small or uneven-sized wood pieces to create veneer sheets, minimizing material waste to the greatest extent. By-products in the production process, such as tree bark and sawdust, are also reused as fuel or raw materials for other by-products.

Another outstanding advantage of plywood is its ability to utilize a diverse range of raw materials. The product can be produced from various types of wood, especially wood from fast-growing plantations. This reduces pressure on natural forests and contributes to promoting sustainable plantation forest development. Flexibility in selecting raw materials also helps stabilize supply and product prices.

In terms of extending the lifespan, plywood demonstrates superior durability thanks to its unique cross-laminated structure. This structure not only creates dimensional stability and better warp resistance than solid wood, but also provides high load-bearing capacity and even distribution across the surface. The processing and use of special adhesives also enhance the product’s resistance to moisture and insects, contributing to a longer lifespan.

With the mission of contributing to sustainable development, AMC proudly continuously researches and develops plywood products with ever-improving quality, using managed plantation timber and high-quality adhesives to create plywood sheets with long-lasting durability alongside construction projects.
The ability to reuse and recycle plywood is also a significant advantage. Plywood sheets can be dismantled and reused in other projects, easily cut and reshaped to fit new purposes. Even if it cannot be reused directly, the material can still be recycled into other industrial wood products, creating a closed and sustainable usage cycle.
Looking to the future, plywood is contributing to the development of the wood industry towards a circular and sustainable direction. The product not only meets the standards for green materials in construction but also plays an important role in achieving green building certifications. The global trend of sustainable design is increasingly prioritizing the use of materials like plywood, opening up vast development prospects for this product.
It can be seen that, with its outstanding advantages in optimizing raw materials and extending the lifespan, plywood is not only an environmentally friendly material but also an important solution in building a sustainable future for the construction industry. The perfect combination of resource efficiency and high reusability has made plywood an ideal choice for future green construction projects.