Embodied Carbon
“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.
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Using Low-Carbon Concrete in Your Next Project
Feature Article
Advancements in low-carbon concrete materials and strategies have led to greater adoption in much of the U.S. Now it's time to start using them.
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We Must Decarbonize Existing Buildings by 2050—but How?
Feature Article
Curbing carbon emissions requires that we address our vast stock of existing buildings. Here’s how to make the case and get it done.
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Net-Zero Energy Isn’t the Real Goal: 8 Reasons Why
Feature Article
Net-zero-energy buildings don’t always reduce carbon emissions. These are the tweaks we need to ensure they do.
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Wood: What’s Good?
Feature Article
Mass timber seems alluring because of its low carbon footprint, but not all wood is equally sustainable. We dig deep into the controversy over which types of timber are “climate smart.
Quick Takes
Jump straight to the essentials with these short explanations of green building concepts.
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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.)
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EPD Quick-Start Guide: 5 Easy Steps
Infographic
Use these tips to get what you need from an Environmental Product Declaration (EPD), fast.
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The 12 Product Rules
Infographic
These 12 product rules provide a simple approach to selecting better, healthier, and more environmentally responsible building products and materials.
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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.
Product Guidance
Unbiased information from our product experts helps you separate green from greenwash.
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Is Carbon-Negative Concrete Possible?
Product Review
Solid Carbon’s biochar admixture can create a carbon-negative concrete, with the help of other concrete additives and credit for avoided emissions.
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Can AI Help Close the Timber Loop?
Product Review
Urban Machine developed a machine that uses AI and robotics to de-nail salvaged wood for reuse onsite.
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Tile
Product Guide
Porcelain tiles that meet third-party environmental standards, and BPA-free adhesives
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Concrete
Product Guide
Producing cement, the primary ingredient in concrete, generates significant amounts of CO2, mercury, and other pollutants, so maximizing its performance and finding substitutes when possible can improve the environmental footprint of a building.
In The News
We break news down to the essentials and provide expert analysis.
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MEP Engineers Urge Collective Action on Refrigerant Emissions
News Brief
The group MEP 2040 is now offering letter-writing templates asking manufacturers for equipment that uses next-generation, low-GWP refrigerants.
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With Early-Phase Carbon Tool, Designers Learn What Works
News Brief
ZeroGuide, a free tool from NBBJ, is about education as much as it is about modeling. It’s also a gateway to more refined approaches.
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New Baselines from Carbon Leadership Forum
News Brief
The Carbon Leadership Forum has updated its baseline data to keep pace with industry changes.
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Investors Will Use EPIC Tool to Decarbonize Existing Assets
News Brief
Galvanize Climate Solutions commissioned a custom version of EHDD’s software to locate real estate with financial and sustainability potential.
Perspective
Thought-provoking opinions from the most trusted minds in sustainability.
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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.
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Google Goes Public with Ambitious Carpet Tile Standard
Blog Post
With a new procurement program, Google adopted comprehensive sustainability requirements for modular carpet tile that raise the bar for major manufacturers.
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“Code Red” IPCC Report: What It Means for the Building Sector
Op-Ed
The IPCC has an emergency message: buildings need to change. Now.
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Revisiting Wood and Embodied Carbon
Op-Ed
A reader argues that a flawed study mars the message of a recent BuildingGreen report on embodied carbon.
Learning Resources
Syllabus supplements and CEU content, with automatic reporting for AIA and GBCI.
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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?
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We Must Decarbonize Existing Buildings by 2050—but How?
Feature Article
Curbing carbon emissions requires that we address our vast stock of existing buildings. Here’s how to make the case and get it done.
-
Net-Zero Energy Isn’t the Real Goal: 8 Reasons Why
Feature Article
Net-zero-energy buildings don’t always reduce carbon emissions. These are the tweaks we need to ensure they do.
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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
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