LAUSR

Abstract Chinese wood flooring and ceramic tile are the research objects in this study. Their energy consumption, the greenhouse gas emissions over their life cycles, and the cost of avoided emissions are analyzed. When wood flooring is used as an alternative to ceramic tile, a total of 0.16–2.85 t CO 2 eq/m 3 is avoided. The cost of GHG emission reduction is −3.42 to 82.28 RMB/kg CO 2 eq (−0.51 to 12.34 USD/kg CO 2 eq). The GHG emission reduction from the substitution increases and the cost of emission reduction decreases when the carbon stock in wood flooring is included (1a), the flooring is burned with energy recovery after replacement (2b), and the price of ceramic tile increases (4b). To achieve carbon emission reduction and obtain economic benefit from wood substitution, a reasonable approach for dealing with waste, prolonging the life span of wood flooring, and reducing cost should be considered.