5 ProjectSight White Paper
5 Pivotal Steps to Reduce Embodied Carbon on Your Next Building Project
5 Steps to Reduce Embodied Carbon
The World Green Building Council has provided an in-depth report
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on how the construction
industry can reduce its embodied carbon footprint. Five key steps include:
1. Measuring Embodied Carbon Emissions
Construction leaders should begin by measuring embodied carbon emissions across the entire
construction lifecycle. One way to do this is through a Life Cycle Assessment (LCA)
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, a process that
uses modeling to predict energy use and help construction companies count the environmental
cost of their project before they begin. An accurate LCA paints a clear picture of a building's
environmental footprint, including carbon emissions along with many other impacts, from habitat
destruction to resource depletion. In addition to creating an LCA on entire construction projects,
decision-makers can also consider the LCA scores of specific construction materials, using the
information to choose products with the lowest impact.
Operational
Carbon
Disposal
Processing
Raw
Material
Supply
Transport
Replacement
Refurbishment
Transport
Transport
Constructio
n
Manufacturing
Repair
Maintenance
Energy
Use
U
se
Deconstruction
Embodied
Carbon
The sum of all greenhouse gas
emissions resulting from the
construction lifecycle of a buildingÑ
from materials extraction through
construction, maintenance,
and demolition
End of Life
Carbon
Emissions due to building
demolition and all processes
of disposal and/or
recycling materials
Emissions
Reduction
Carbon emissions can be
minimized through
incorporating recycled
materials and reusing
existing buildings
Use Stage
Embodied
Carbon
Carbon emissions from the
process and materials
needed for maintaining
the building
Upfront
Carbon
Carbon emissions created before
the building is in use, during
production of
materials and construction
Project Lifecycle showing the scope of the definition and need for whole life Consideration
Source: https://www.worldgbc.org/sites/default/files/WorldGBC_Bringing_Embodied_Carbon_Upfront.pdf
