TY - GEN
T1 - TRADE-OFFS IN EMBODIED CARBON AND ACOUSTIC INSULATION FOR MASS TIMBER FLOOR ASSEMBLIES
AU - Leonard, Samantha J.
AU - Eddin, Mohamad B.
AU - Prichard, Morgan K.
AU - Broyles, Jonathan M.
AU - Brown, Nathan C.
AU - Ménard, Sylvain
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© (2023) WORLD CONFERENCE ON TIMBER ENGINEERING 2023 (WCTE 2023) All rights reserved.
PY - 2023
Y1 - 2023
N2 - Mass timber structural systems are increasingly used in the design of low and mid-rise buildings. One of the primary motivators for using mass timber structures is their low embodied carbon emissions (EC), which reduces a building’s carbon footprint. Despite this advantage, a criticism of mass timber structures in multi-story buildings is often poor air-borne and impact sound insulation. In response, this paper studies common mass timber floor assemblies for their EC and sound insulation performance. EC data is used along with previous experimental acoustic data to evaluate how acoustic insulation affects the sustainability of mass timber floors. This study found that there is no clear relationship between EC and acoustic insulation; while high-EC assemblies exist, there are many low-EC assemblies at all levels of acoustic insulation. Trade-offs instead occur in the types of assemblies that can achieve performance goals and their depth or visible finish. While other factors such as cost or structural requirements may control assembly selection, designers seeking to reduce EC should consider room design needs and select acoustic insulation strategies with favorable EC-to-acoustic insulation ratios.
AB - Mass timber structural systems are increasingly used in the design of low and mid-rise buildings. One of the primary motivators for using mass timber structures is their low embodied carbon emissions (EC), which reduces a building’s carbon footprint. Despite this advantage, a criticism of mass timber structures in multi-story buildings is often poor air-borne and impact sound insulation. In response, this paper studies common mass timber floor assemblies for their EC and sound insulation performance. EC data is used along with previous experimental acoustic data to evaluate how acoustic insulation affects the sustainability of mass timber floors. This study found that there is no clear relationship between EC and acoustic insulation; while high-EC assemblies exist, there are many low-EC assemblies at all levels of acoustic insulation. Trade-offs instead occur in the types of assemblies that can achieve performance goals and their depth or visible finish. While other factors such as cost or structural requirements may control assembly selection, designers seeking to reduce EC should consider room design needs and select acoustic insulation strategies with favorable EC-to-acoustic insulation ratios.
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U2 - 10.52202/069179-0117
DO - 10.52202/069179-0117
M3 - Conference contribution
AN - SCOPUS:85171630086
T3 - 13th World Conference on Timber Engineering, WCTE 2023
SP - 858
EP - 867
BT - 13th World Conference on Timber Engineering, WCTE 2023
A2 - Nyrud, Anders Q.
A2 - Malo, Kjell Arne
A2 - Nore, Kristine
A2 - Alsen, Knut Werner Lindeberg
A2 - Tulebekova, Saule
A2 - Staehr, Efthymia Ratsou
A2 - Bergh, Gabrielle
A2 - Wuyts, Wendy
PB - World Conference on Timber Engineering (WCTE)
T2 - 13th World Conference on Timber Engineering: Timber for a Livable Future, WCTE 2023
Y2 - 19 June 2023 through 22 June 2023
ER -