Embodied carbon emissions in buildings: explanations, interpretations, recommendations

What is embodied carbon and why is it a significant challenge for clients and designers in the real estate and construction sector? It is the sum of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions that arise in the life cycle of a building during manufacture and construction (upfront), maintenance and replacement of building components (recurrent), as well as dismantling and waste processing (end of life). Currently, the relative and absolute share of embodied carbon in the life cycle of a single building is growing and becoming a dominant factor in the case of energy-efficient buildings. For example, for new buildings, it can represent more than 50% of life-cycle carbon. Against this background, embodied carbon is becoming an object of assessment not just in research but also in design and decision-making. It also becomes a key action to reduce GHG emissions. Embodied carbon assessment and reduction are being increasingly mandated in national regulations. Clients and designers (as key actors in the supply chain) can harness new knowledge and tools to reduce embodied carbon as part of a strategy to reduce overall GHG emissions. Appropriate methods, data, benchmarks and tools are being further developed and operationalised to support the processes for specifying and designing low carbon buildings. An overview is presented of the state of knowledge and current developments. Constructive recommendations are provided for actions that clients and designers can take. Key findings From the perspective of a single building’s life cycle, the proportion of embodied carbon is around 50% on average for new energy-efficient buildings. From a macro-economic perspective, approximately 10% of global energy-related CO2 emissions are attributable to the embodied emissions of buildings.Designers can influence and assess embodied carbon according to related design targets in the client’s brief and/or legal requirements.A trade-off between operational and embodied carbon is typical, but possibilities exist to optimise both sides.Embodied carbon can be reduced by selecting low carbon construction products and/or reused building components.Further possibilities are the revitalisation of existing buildings, the extension of their service life, the minimisation of useable areas (sufficiency), as well as the optimisation of buildings and their components.With good design, it is possible to construct low embodied carbon buildings with little or no additional costs, and even generate economic benefits.