| Title |
Evaluating the Sustainability of Domestic Wood Use Through Odum's Emergy Evaluation |
| Authors |
김남영(Kim, Namyeong) ; 진교진(Jin, Keojin) |
| DOI |
https://doi.org/10.5659/JAIK.2024.40.10.219 |
| Keywords |
Timber; Ecological Urban Analysis; Emergy Evaluation |
| Abstract |
Forests, which cover 60% of Korea's land area, are now reaching maturity, creating an urgent need for strategic utilization that focuses on
their role in carbon storage. In response, various local governments are promoting wood-friendly cities. This study examines the impact of
using domestically sourced wood compared to imported wood, which currently makes up the majority of wood used in Korea. While carbon
footprint analysis is often used, it is limited by its cradle to grave approach, covering only material processing to disposal. Instead, this
research utilizes Odum's Emergy calculation method, which incorporates thermodynamic energy cycles to explore the sustainable link between
Korean forests and the domestic market. The findings revealed that the annual Emergy value for the same volume (㎥) of wood is about
1.22 times higher in the current import-heavy procurement system than in a domestic procurement system. Additionally, the Emergy
Sustainability Index (ESI) was used to assess the benefits of the environmental load ratio for domestically sourced versus imported wood.
The ESI measures financial, economic, and ecological sustainability in stages. Results showed that the ESI, which reflects overall
sustainability, is more than twice as favorable for domestically procured wood. |