Building Decarbonization: How LCA and EPDs Fit in

As part of its economy-wide decarbonization plan, the U.S. government is targeting a building-sector emission cut of 90% from 2005 levels by 2050—and a crucial component of that is reducing the embodied greenhouse gas emissions from building materials and construction.

To achieve this, we need better information about the carbon impacts of product and material manufacturing. Life-cycle assessments (LCAs) and environmental product declarations (EPDs) set out to do this while measuring myriad other impacts. And while both are becoming increasingly robust and useful, limitations remain.