The Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management (I&W) seeks to understand the potential of circular strategies to reduce nitrogen emissions in the construction sector. In addressing this question, the focus is on replacing (reinforced) concrete and brick with timber, specifically cross-laminated timber (CLT) and panel-based materials. If 30% of all newly built houses were to be constructed using timber, this would avoid an estimated 105 to 120 tonnes of nitrogen equivalents (N-eq.) per year. This corresponds to approximately 15–20% of the eutrophication* (nitrogen impact) associated with all concrete use in the building and utilities sector.
*Eutrophication is the effect of excessive nitrogen emissions. For the calculation of eutrophication resulting from nitrogen emissions, the environmental assessment method Environmental Footprint v3.1 was applied, using the impact category ‘Eutrophication, terrestrial’.