Comparative environmental life cycle assessment of materials in wooden boat ecodesign

Abstract

Purpose: Wooden boatyard building has been replaced in the 70’s in favor of materials which are considered cheaper and simpler to work with (such as composite or aluminium). With today's new environmental standards, the choices of materials must also be compatible with the aims of ecodesign. We promote wood based boats, and replacing exotic woods with local varieties (from France). An environmental impact assessment is needed to clarify the relative position of each solution. Methods: In order to validate the choices, we used a Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) "from cradle to grave" of the hull. This LCA is based on the comparison of the different materials used: aluminum, composite, exotic wood and maritime pine. This study is based on the construction of an 18-meter-long passenger transport boat. These evaluations were carried out with respect to ISO 14040 standards, beginning with an existing database and measurements taken on the building and production sites. Results: Our results demonstrate the benefits of using a wood-based hull compared to other materials. Moreover, the results show that the maritime pine used in replacement of imported exotic woods is more favorable from both economic and environmental points of view. This LCA allowed us to characterize precisely the stages in the life cycle of a passenger boat and to propose a hierarchy between the different materials under comparison for the purposes of boat building. The recommendations and lines of progress highlighted by this study will allow us to enhance the efficiency of upcoming constructions and to promote the ecodesign conception in the boatyard.