Wood Flooring
CHEN DONG
DES40A
03/10/2013
Embodied Energy in the Process of Hardwood Flooring
Hardwood flooring is one of the most common flooring in our life. The processes of produce hardwood flooring are very complex. Those processes from beginning to end of produce hardwood flooring embody different energy. My research is focus on the energy that embodied in the process of hardwood flooring.
From the article “Green Speak”, the embodied energy means “the sum of the energy necessary to make a product, from the raw material extraction to the manufacturing process to shipping it to its point of use. Embodied energy is part of Life Cycle Analysis, which follows the product’s environmental impact from raw material extraction all the way through its use and its ultimate disposal or reuse” (KEN 2008). The embodied energy of the hardwood flooring life-cycle is based on the flowing parts, the raw materials acquisition, the manufacturing, processing, transportation, recycle and waster management. The primary raw material of the hardwood flooring is the wood from angiosperm trees. There are many kinds of hardwood species such as ash, pine, oak, maple and cheery. These primary raw materials can make two kinds of hardwood flooring, which are solid hardwood and engineered hardwood. Because of solid hardwood maintained properly and easily last a hundred years, it have been used for centuries. “They are a solid piece of milled hardwood which is precut in a tongue and groove shape which allows easy installation. They can be purchased in finished or unfinished condition. The main advantage of a solid wood floor is its life span” (MARC, 2013). Different from solid hardwood, engineered hardwood flooring is made of several layers of wood that are glued and compressed together and topped with a veneer. “A veneer is a decorative thin slice of wood applied to the core material which will provide you with the look of solid wood. The separately glued layers do provide certain advantages
DES40A
03/10/2013
Embodied Energy in the Process of Hardwood Flooring
Hardwood flooring is one of the most common flooring in our life. The processes of produce hardwood flooring are very complex. Those processes from beginning to end of produce hardwood flooring embody different energy. My research is focus on the energy that embodied in the process of hardwood flooring.
From the article “Green Speak”, the embodied energy means “the sum of the energy necessary to make a product, from the raw material extraction to the manufacturing process to shipping it to its point of use. Embodied energy is part of Life Cycle Analysis, which follows the product’s environmental impact from raw material extraction all the way through its use and its ultimate disposal or reuse” (KEN 2008). The embodied energy of the hardwood flooring life-cycle is based on the flowing parts, the raw materials acquisition, the manufacturing, processing, transportation, recycle and waster management. The primary raw material of the hardwood flooring is the wood from angiosperm trees. There are many kinds of hardwood species such as ash, pine, oak, maple and cheery. These primary raw materials can make two kinds of hardwood flooring, which are solid hardwood and engineered hardwood. Because of solid hardwood maintained properly and easily last a hundred years, it have been used for centuries. “They are a solid piece of milled hardwood which is precut in a tongue and groove shape which allows easy installation. They can be purchased in finished or unfinished condition. The main advantage of a solid wood floor is its life span” (MARC, 2013). Different from solid hardwood, engineered hardwood flooring is made of several layers of wood that are glued and compressed together and topped with a veneer. “A veneer is a decorative thin slice of wood applied to the core material which will provide you with the look of solid wood. The separately glued layers do provide certain advantages
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