Closing the gap to sufficiency-based absolute climate targets for wood buildings

This research investigated the distribution of the climate planetary boundary (PB) within a nation to sector level by the principles of acquired rights (grandfathering) and sufficientarianism. Then, four wood dwellings were compared against the carrying capacity scenarios using life cycle assessment. The results exhibited a safe operating space for new dwellings of about three times larger for the principle of sufficiency than for the acquired rights. The rationale is that the sufficiency perspective considers the fundamentals of a society with a fulfilling life where disregarded surplus elements give more space for emissions for the remaining elements. Acquired rights reflect the current society as optimal but require systemic changes in the different sectors to remain within PBs. However, building with wood cannot alone contribute to society staying within the climate target. The end of life contributes most to the impact due to biogenic carbon release, and energy consumption follows next. Reduction of the average yearly built area shows considerable potential to close the target gap. In addition, circularity, carbon capture, and material efficiency would reduce the end of life biogenic carbon emissions. Combined with energy-positive buildings and low-carbon materials, this could be a viable mitigation pathway to explore further.