Enhanced Life-Cycle-Costing in wood construction by novel methods for service life planning (WoodLCC)

PROJECT TITLE: Enhanced Life-Cycle-Costing in wood construction by novel methods for service life planning (WoodLCC)
PROJECT LEADER: Anna Sandak, PhD
PERIOD: 01.07.2022 – 30.06.2025
BUDGET: €1,516,862.00 (€210,000.00 for InnoRenew CoE)
FINANCING: European Union – ForestValue Research Programme and Republic of Slovenia’s Ministry of Education, Science and Sport
COORDINATOR: University of Göttingen, Department of Wood Biology and Wood Products (Germany)
PARTNERS: Norwegian Institute of Wood Technology (Norway); Norwegian Institute of Bioeconomy Research (Norway); Tallinn University of Technology (Estonia); InnoRenew CoE (Slovenia); Lund University (Sweden); Miebach (Germany); ZRS Architekten (Germany); Holzbau Deutschland (Germany); Finnlog OÜ (Finland); Estonian Woodhouse Association (Estonia); Estonian Forest and Wood Industries Association (Estonia); TreFokus (Norway); Swedish Wood (Sweden); TMF (Sweden); Sweco Norge AS (Sweden); Norconsult Informasjonssystemer AS (Norway); Lumar IG (Slovenia)

WoodLCC will enable robust and precise life-cycle-costing (LCC) based on input from novel models for detailed service life performance specification for wooden components and buildings. The project has two hypotheses: 1) improved service life input data will enable more precise and robust LCC for wood-based products, resulting in significantly improved economic and environmental impact, and 2) LCC will find common acceptance only if reliable input data are available and complemented with knowledge about user expectations. Therefore, a holistic approach will be used to integrate service life data in LCC analysis instruments. The outcome will be the WoodLCC data platform.

WoodLCC will use results from novel methods for detailed service life performance specification established through extensive past research on dose/response functions for exterior wood elements. WoodLCC’s novelty is the optimization of the LCC input data for wood-based building products.

InnoRenew CoE project activities

InnoRenew CoE will deliver a demo plugin for BIM software for estimation of LCC that is adopted for the specific needs of timber structures. The service life simulation that is indispensable for reliable LCC analysis will be implemented at three levels of complexity. All levels will be objectively validated to determine the novel tool’s reliability and assure compatibility with real-life cases, with the overall objective to achieve a realistic service life scenario (RSLS) for timber structures and elements.