Understanding wood use and storage in European buildings to support circular construction

This study assesses the quantity and distribution of wood stored in various European building types using data on material intensities in the building stock. It finds that traditional log houses have the highest wood densities per square meter, light timber frame buildings exhibit moderate wood use, and modern engineered wood products such as CLT and glulam concentrate wood primarily in floors and walls. Brick and concrete constructions still incorporate substantial wooden elements in roofs and floor structures. The results provide practitioners with methods to estimate salvageable wood without detailed surveys, and offer forest owners insights into emerging opportunities in circular value chains, future timber demand, and the long-term carbon storage potential of wood in buildings.