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.
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What Makes a Product Green Today?
Feature Article
Lots of manufacturers call their products "green," but are they? Here's our guide to the high-performance attributes that matter.
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Reducing Environmental Impacts of Cement and Concrete
Feature Article
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.
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What’s an EPD? Environmental Product Declaration FAQs
Feature Short
We answer FAQs on EPDs, which allow manufacturers to disclose a product’s carbon footprint and other impacts.
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Apples to Pineapples: Four Reasons You Can’t Compare EPDs
Feature Short
We’d love to use transparency tools to compare products “apples-to-apples.” But we’ve got a long way to go.
Quick Takes
Jump straight to the essentials with these short explanations of green building concepts.
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Product Guidance
Unbiased information from our product experts helps you separate green from greenwash.
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In The News
We break news down to the essentials and provide expert analysis.
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Free Tool Estimates Embodied and Operational Carbon
News Brief
EPIC from EHDD is used very early in building design to help project teams make choices about structure, envelope, landscaping, and more.
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Feds Introduce Decarbonization Specs for Government Projects
News Brief
A new concrete rule from GSA and energy code adoption from DOE continue U.S. efforts to curb both embodied and operational carbon.
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Embodied Carbon Limits: New Language for Codes and Specs
News Analysis
Now there are standardized ways to write embodied carbon limits into both building codes and architectural specifications.
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The Rise of Mass Timber in a Volatile Market
News Analysis
Demand for mass timber is going up, but there’s still lots of room to grow. Can that happen—sustainably—in today’s market?
Perspective
Thought-provoking opinions from the most trusted minds in sustainability.
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Learning Resources
Syllabus supplements and CEU content, with automatic reporting for AIA and GBCI.
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Just For Fun
Something weird happens every April at BuildingGreen...
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