Abstract
Building construction and operations are pivotal in climate mitigation efforts. While emissions from building operations can be easily reduced through renewable energy adoption and improved energy efficiency, the so-called “embodied” greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, also called “embodied carbon,” associated with building material production and processing are expected to rise due the global construction demand. Thus, a comprehensive understanding of the embodied emissions throughout the building life cycle is crucial to identify mitigation opportunities and implement effective measures. This primer introduces the topic of life cycle embodied carbon emissions in buildings, explains the notion of temporal and spatial embodied carbon, sheds light on current regulations and strategies to reduce embodied carbon emissions throughout the building life cycle, and eventually highlights the importance of accounting for life cycle sustainability beyond a mere focus on carbon emissions.
Abstract as published.
Cite this article
Röck M, Balouktsi M, Ruschi Mendes Saade M (2023). Embodied carbon emissions of buildings and how to tame them. One Earth. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.oneear.2023.10.018
RISE authors
From the project
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IEA EBC Annex 72 - Assessing Life Cycle Related Environmental Impacts of Buildings
Harmonised building LCA methods, workflows and tools across 27 countries.