Embodied carbon emissions of buildings and how to tame them

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.