Skanska USA Building will provide initial embodied carbon assessments on every new construction project it works on greater than 5,000m3 (53,000 sf).
The company will use the Embodied Carbon in Construction Calculator (EC3), a product it co-created with industry partners. Skanska USA Building has been piloting EC3 in partnership with Skanska Commercial Development in the U.S. since 2019.
“The data and tools provided by Skanska’s evaluations provide customers with actionable information to make significant and lasting choices about reducing carbon on their projects,” said Paul Hewins, president & CEO, Skanska USA Building. “Customers have the power to positively affect the supply chain if they choose to invest in full or partial materials tracking and reporting.”
Use of the EC3 tool over the last two years has shown that a 30% reduction in embodied carbon is typically achievable for little or no cost, Skanska says. Skanska recently partnered with the Rocky Mountain Institute on a study that produced similar results.
EC3 is available free and open source at www.buildingtransparency.org.
Related Stories
| Jul 5, 2012
Continued tax breaks necessary for widespread adoption of net zero buildings
Tax breaks passed by the U.S. government to encourage construction of green buildings are set to expire in 2012 and 2013.
| Jun 28, 2012
Six buildings now recognized under Living Building Challenge
The Living Building Challenge (LBC), a green ratings system for design and construction that judges a building based on its actual performance, not just its projected performance at the design stage, has recognized six buildings to date.
| Jun 28, 2012
Label for building products will have ‘global warming number’
The director of the 2030 Challenge for Products says that the organization is aiming to place a label on building products that will list what’s in it, and how much embodied carbon each product represents.
| Jun 28, 2012
Top building material executive urges building resilience in sustainability standards
A meeting of 1,000 business executives at the recent Rio+20 environmental conference featured a passionate plea to include building resilience in efforts to boost sustainability.
| Jun 28, 2012
Following spate of skyscraper balcony glass panel breakages, Ontario adopts code change
Ontario's housing minister announced new building code rules to help prevent glass panels from breaking off high-rise balconies during hot weather.
| Jun 28, 2012
Factory worker deaths in Italy raise questions on building codes after earthquakes
Italian officials are questioning seismic building standards and inspection procedures in the aftermath of two damaging earthquakes.
| Jun 21, 2012
Brazilian engineering/construction firm Odebrecht sues Florida over ban on companies doing business in Cuba
Odebrecht Construction Inc., a Brazilian engineering and construction company, is suing the State of Florida over a new law that bans governments from hiring companies with business ties to Cuba.
| Jun 21, 2012
String of shattered glass balcony panels prompts call for code reform in Ontario
Since last summer, glass balconies have shattered at 13 different buildings in Toronto.
