Quantifying and Reducing Embodied Carbon in the Acoustic Design of Mass Timber Buildings

An adoption of mass timber construction is the construction industry's best shot at reducing its significantly large contribution to global CO₂ emissions. Acoustic design in mass timber buildings typically relies on mass and facing materials in order to meet design criteria, and can account for a high proportion of the embodied carbon (CO₂e) per m² on a build. In order to fit with the ethos of mass timber construction; low embodied carbon, reusable, cradle to cradle materials must be adopted. This paper presents the findings of a study into the relationship of acoustic performance and CO₂e, and proposes alternate approaches that reduce the CO₂e/m² of the acoustic design by up to 66% with little to no detriment to acoustic performance. Through single variable analysis in third party laboratory testing, and in situ testing, it has been found to be possible to utilise low CO₂e acoustic systems that reduce the CO₂e/m² in not only the acoustic design, but structural, M&E and architectural disciplines, too.