Embodied carbon in buildings accounts for 11% of all global greenhouse gas emissions, according to The Urban Land Institute’s (ULI) Greenprint Center for Building Performance.
A new report from that group, Embodied Carbon in Buildings Materials for Real Estate, explains how reducing embodied carbon in the construction process can save developers money and help mitigate the impacts of climate change. Embodied carbon refers to the emissions associated with the manufacturing, transportation, construction of building materials, as well as building materials disposal.
Greenprint and its members are striving to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 50% by 2030. The report examines multiple steps that contractors and developers can take to reduce their embodied carbon:
· Consider low-carbon structural materials, such as green concrete, recycled steel, or mass timber
· Reduce the total materials in building design, which can result in lower costs
· Repurpose used materials as much as possible, which can add authenticity to a project
· Specify lower-carbon materials when offering an RFP, which often comes at no added cost
· Calculate the embodied carbon of the materials in the project, to understand the emissions impacts and prepare the building for eventual embodied carbon reporting regulations that may be enacted by local municipalities
· Promote the embodied carbon reductions gain to build community good will and increase market awareness and adoption of reduced embodied carbon buildings
Related Stories
Codes and Standards | Feb 16, 2021
Bechtel joins international heat resilience organization
Experience designing resilience standards to aid effort to protect communities from extreme heat.
Codes and Standards | Feb 10, 2021
More than two-thirds of construction companies say COVID-19 has not impacted their ESOP
Half of survey respondents say 2020 project profitability decreased due to pandemic.
Codes and Standards | Feb 9, 2021
New Jersey approves new electric vehicle-ready home requirement
Homebuyers must be given option for charging station on new construction.
Codes and Standards | Feb 9, 2021
New California law removes barriers to residential development
Measure removes restrictions for ADUs in urban areas and master planned communities.
Codes and Standards | Feb 8, 2021
Alliance yields more accurate data for rating and certifying systems of construction materials
Crosswalk API offers trusted format to specify and procure healthier products.
Codes and Standards | Feb 4, 2021
2021 IBC requires automatic doors for entrances to public buildings
One door must be either a full power-operated door or a low-energy power-operated door.
Codes and Standards | Feb 3, 2021
Two new International Code Council online code tools released
Offer detailed information about global building code usage and U.S. adoptions.
Codes and Standards | Feb 2, 2021
Biden tells OSHA to bolster COVID-19 safety rules
Order could lead to a national playbook for fighting COVID-19 on jobsites.
Codes and Standards | Feb 1, 2021
Fenestration Alliance updates standard for mulled combination assemblies
Last updated in 2010, document describes procedures and requirements for air leakage, water resistance, and structural performance.
Codes and Standards | Jan 28, 2021
Natl. Fire Protection Assn. releases new energy storage system fact sheet
Comes as Biden Administration prepares ambitious clean energy agenda.