Material Pyramid for Furniture and Design

Background and Purpose of the Material Pyramid

Material Pyramid for Furniture and Design is inspired by the Building Material Pyramid, developed and published by Centre for Industrial Architecture (CINARK) at the Royal Danish Academy in 2019. This pyramid compares the carbon footprint of basic building materials. Its structure and visual identity are inspired by the iconic food pyramid from 1976, which illustrates the relationship between diet and health. The Material Pyramid is based on the ambition to minimize additional material consumption. When new materials are necessary, the pyramid is intended as a guiding tool to support the selection of materials with a lower climate impact, while encouraging thoughtful use of those with a higher footprint.

The core idea behind the Material Pyramid is to assess and compare the climate impact of individual materials, forming the basis for more qualified and reflective material choices. The climate impact can be calculated using a Life Cycle Assessment (LCA). In this context, an LCA analyses the environmental consequences of a material’s life cycle—from raw material extraction and production, manufacturing, distribution, to its use phase and eventual disposal. The climate impact is expressed in kilograms of CO₂ equivalents (kg CO₂-eq), making it possible to compare the carbon footprints of different materials.

The pyramid format translates complex LCA data into a clear and accessible visual structure. Its layered design allows for easy comparison between materials and provides an overview of which materials have relatively higher or lower climate impacts.

Structure of the Material Pyramid

In the Material Pyramid for Furniture and Design, materials with the highest climate impact per kilogram are shown at the top of the pyramid, while those with the lowest impact are shown at the bottom. The format is similar to that of the food pyramid. This means that materials at the top of the pyramid should be used with caution, whereas materials from the lower sections can be used with greater freedom. However, when selecting materials, it is always important to consider the overall weight, as a material with a lower emission per kilogram can still result in higher total emissions if used in larger quantities.

The climate impact of each material is calculated based on the PEF (Product Environmental Footprint), which is the European Commission’s own method for assessing the total environmental impact of a product through a Life Cycle Assessment (LCA). In this context, the product is defined as 1 kg of the given material. The calculation provides an overview of how 1 kg of material affects the climate throughout its entire life cycle.

There are many factors that influence the climate footprint of individual materials. These include the production process used to form the material into a 1 kg component, the energy source used during production, the typical geographical origin, the location of production, the mode of transport, as well as the context in which the material is used and the method of disposal. As the Material Pyramid is intended as a dialogue tool rather than a calculation tool, the materials have been treated in a generic manner. All materials are placed within the pyramid’s hierarchical structure without specifying the exact CO₂eq value of each material. Materials are arranged in order of increasing CO₂eq emissions, read from left to right and from bottom to top. The indication of a material’s CO₂eq footprint is therefore derived from its position within the pyramid’s CO₂eq categories.

All materials in the pyramid are calculated as 1 kg of material, which makes it possible to compare and combine materials across the pyramid. However, it should be noted that many materials are typically handled in either square meters or cubic meters. Since all materials have a weight, this has been the basis for their placement in the pyramid.  For materials typically used in m² or m³, reference is made to the individual material entries in the database.

The selection of materials in the pyramid is based on extensive research into the materials commonly used in furniture and product design. A large proportion of these materials are either combinations of several different materials or uniform materials that have undergone various treatments or processing methods. A number of materials have been selected for the pyramid, representing the most common and typically used materials in furniture and product design, as well as materials that can be combined across categories. Materials from most material groups have been included to ensure the widest possible variety. Again, the materials have been kept at a generic level to avoid pointing to specific products within each material group.

In furniture and product manufacturing, various production processes are also involved in creating the final product – depending both on the material and the design. These processes can significantly affect the CO₂eq footprint of individual materials. For the materials included in the pyramid, the most common and typically used production processes in furniture and product design have been selected. All materials are clearly marked with one or more icons, which visually indicate the processing methods the materials undergo. These processes are included in the calculation of each material’s placement within the pyramid.

Material Pyramid for Furniture and Design

• Institute of Design, Product & Materials: Nicolai de Gier and Ditte Hammerstrøm
• Business & Innovation / Material Lab: Annette Kjær

* Material Pyramid for Furniture and Design is made freely available. Data used in the Material Pyramid is based on averages, calculated by the European PEF standards and must not be used commercially, as documentation or official reporting on material, product or company level. Data is provided solely as guidance. The Royal Danish Academy and the project's partners disclaim any responsibility for direct or indirect consequences of use beyond the intended purpose.