Embodied Carbon
Researchers in a laboratory at Oregon State University study the properties of cross-laminated timber. CLTs are a way to reduce the embodied impacts of a structural system.
“Embodied carbon” typically refers to the upfront greenhouse gas emissions associated with producing building materials.
Structural materials like steel and concrete tend to have the highest embodied carbon within a building, but all the other products, even down to interior finishes like drywall and carpet, come into play as well. To learn about the embodied carbon of a specific product, look to an environmental product declaration. A whole-building life-cycle assessment is necessary to understand the emissions associated with an entire project.
Embodied Carbon
Deep Dives
Get up to speed on complex topics. You can also earn CEUs and download PDF Spotlight Reports.
-
Reducing Environmental Impacts of Cement and Concrete
Feature
This article explores the environmental footprint of portland cement production and future emissions regulations and looks at the issues surrounding its most common replacement, fly ash.
-
What Makes a Product Green Today?
Feature
Lots of manufacturers call their products "green," but are they? Here's our guide to the high-performance attributes that matter.
-
Whole-Building Life-Cycle Assessment: Taking the Measure of a Green Building
Feature
Why we will never understand the true impact of our buildings—and how we should try to anyway
-
Engineering a Wood Revolution
Feature
Engineered wood products are challenging concrete and steel in structural applications while proffering a lower environmental footprint.
Quick Takes
Jump straight to the essentials with these short explanations of green building concepts.
-
How to Read an EPD: 7 Tips from the Field (Video)
Explainer
In this short video primer, Arup engineer Frances Yang explains how to get what you need from environmental product declarations.
-
Hemp: A Durable, Low-Carbon Building Material
Explainer
This rapidly renewable material is excellent for textiles and non-structural concrete. (And no, it will not get you high.)
-
From Ozone Depletion to Global Warming: The Kigali Amendment
Explainer
The amendment builds on the Montreal Protocol’s legacy, aiming to reduce greenhouse gas emissions worldwide.
-
Neutralizing the Downsides of Concrete
Explainer
Concrete is a durable and necessary building material, but its carbon footprint is huge. Here’s a rundown of concrete’s tradeoffs and some solutions.
Product Guidance
Unbiased information from our product experts helps you separate green from greenwash.
-
Lime Stucco from American Clay Enterprises
Product Review
American Clay Enterprises, known for its popular natural earth plaster, has introduced a setting lime stucco to the national market.
-
Lighter, Lower-Carbon Concrete Decks with BubbleDeck
Product Review
BubbleDeck's matrix of concrete, plastic spheres, and steel reduces the amount of concrete required in structural slabs.
-
A Tour of Cool Products from Greenbuild 2016
Product Review
These products from Greenbuild 2016 expo floor save water, use wood in innovative ways, and protect buildings and materials from the elements
-
Unmilled Timber Frames Go High Tech, Replacing Steel
Product Review
Keep the beauty of round logs, and get more strength from an engineered wood structure, promises Wisconsin-based company WholeTrees.
In The News
We break news down to the essentials and provide expert analysis.
-
NYC Carbon Challenge Makes Headway in the Private Sector
News Analysis
With projects meeting New York’s steep goal of 30% less carbon ahead of schedule, the city calls on even more buildings to take on the challenge.
-
Rubber Flooring: A Good Use for Old Car Tires?
News Analysis
Rubber flooring is getting greener overall, but tire-derived products are still an iffy proposition.
-
Retrofits (Usually) Greener Than New Construction, Study Says
News Analysis
Building reuse has environmental benefits over new construction, but there are important exceptions and caveats.
-
Living Product Challenge Logs First Certifications
News Analysis
Though only a year old, LPC has its first two entry-level certifications: Owens Corning insulation and Sirewall rammed earth.
Perspective
Thought-provoking opinions from the most trusted minds in sustainability.
-
“Code Red” IPCC Report: What It Means for the Building Sector
Op-Ed
The IPCC has an emergency message: buildings need to change. Now.
-
Net Zero Has Failed. We Need a Universal Carbon Standard for Buildings.
Op-Ed
The building sector’s current “net-zero” standards are not credible, not scalable, and don’t eliminate emissions. There’s a better way.
-
This is the Universal Low-Carbon Building Standard We Need
Op-Ed
The building industry’s current net-zero-energy and net-zero-carbon standards got complicated for a reason, but they don’t have to stay that way.
-
The Universal Low-Carbon Building Standard Does Six Things
Op-Ed
Here’s how we’re going to deconstruct “net zero” and rebuild it as a comprehensive standard that applies to every building.
Learning Resources
Syllabus supplements and CEU content, with automatic reporting for AIA and GBCI.
-
Construction Emissions: A Virtual Roundtable
Webcast
In this one-hour panel discussion, we will tap the leading experts on estimating and tracking construction emissions and talk about best practices for reducing this slice of a project’s carbon footprint.
-
The Missing Embodied Carbon Link: Construction
Feature
Some researchers say construction emissions could account for as much as 30% of a project’s embodied carbon. What can be done about it?
-
Getting Low-Carbon Concrete into Your Next Project: A Virtual Roundtable
Webcast
In this one-hour deep dive, we’ll speak with industry experts on current and potential low-carbon concrete technologies, how to track concrete’s embodied carbon, and how to specify viable low-carbon concrete.
Register here: https://www.buildinggreen.com/webcast/lc-concrete -
Let’s Get Real about Wood’s Carbon Footprint
Webcast
You’ve probably heard that wood products are carbon neutral. You might also have heard that timber harvesting causes immense carbon emissions. Which is it? Could it be both?
Just For Fun
Something weird happens every April at BuildingGreen...
- Check if your spelling is correct, or try removing filters.
- Remove quotes around phrases to match each word individually: "blue drop" will match less than blue drop.
- You can require or exclude terms using + and -: big +blue drop will require a match on blue while big blue -drop will exclude results that contain drop.
