How CLT Displacement Makes Steel & Cement Decarbonization Realistic - CleanTechnica

The article discusses how cross laminated timber (CLT) serves as a critical lever for decarbonizing the traditionally carbon-intensive steel and cement industries by displacing these materials in construction. While CLT is often highlighted for its benefits in faster, more affordable, and lower-carbon housing, its broader impact lies in reducing global demand for cement and steel over time. This substitution effect, especially in mid-rise residential and commercial buildings, contributes to bending demand curves downward, making decarbonization of heavy materials more achievable. The article builds on previous analyses that positioned CLT and modular construction as key solutions to housing shortages and embodied emissions, emphasizing the need for integrated value chains and government policy support to scale CLT adoption. Contrary to conventional projections that assume steady growth in cement and steel demand aligned with GDP and urbanization, the article argues that demand will peak earlier and decline gradually due to several factors: the end of China's infrastructure boom, shifts in advanced economies from expansion to maintenance, efficiency gains, and