Life cycle assessment of new wood-based composite panel integrated with bio-based phase change material for energy storage in buildings

The integration of phase change materials (PCMs) into buildings can reduce operational energy (OE) but may increase embodied energy (EE), particularly with fossil-based PCMs, affecting total energy efficiency. Bio-based PCMs (BPCMs) offer a sustainable alternative, lowering EE and environmental impacts. Using a cradle-to-grave approach, this study assessed the environmental impacts of a newly developed wood-BPCM composite panel in Uppsala, Sweden. To investigate the relationship between EE and OE consumption and monitor energy use during operation, the operational phase was analysed for two experimental cubes in Uppsala. A process-based Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) was used, based on the Environmental Footprint (EF) and ReCiPe methods. In the wood-BPCM panel production, over 95% of environmental impacts originated from manufacturing and raw materials. For the cubes, the BPCM cube showed high environmental performance over 50 years, offsetting its initially higher climate impact compared to the medium-density fibreboard (MDF) reference cube by year 14 and achieving a 15% reduction. Despite MDF's higher density resulting in greater biogenic carbon uptake and energy recovery, biogenic carbon negatively affected the BPCM cube. Nonetheless, the BPCM cube maintained a 10% lower climate impact, emphasising its potential for sustainable applications.