SUSTAINABLE BUILDINGS FOR SUSTAINABLE FUTURES
Construction is one of the most resource-intensive sectors of the economy Buildings account for 39% of energy-related global carbon emissions. And at least ¼ of these emissions come from embodied carbon, or the carbon emissions associated with building materials and construction.
Embodied carbon / noun / A major part of global emissions, embodied carbon stems from the life cycle of building materials, including their manufacture, transport, installation, maintenance, and disposal.
30%
40%
9.4%
15%
The average amount of waste generated by construction projects.
The amount of annual energy consumption spent on buildings.
The annual domestic carbon footprint created by construction projects.
The percentage of total carbon emissions from cement, steel, aluminum, and plastics.
Reducing emissions in the construction sector is essential to reach climate neutrality, especially by promoting energy efficiency and accelerating the renovation rate in buildings. (Source: EU)
Ways to reduce embodied carbon in buildings Reuse and recycle building materials
Update/retrofit buildings instead of constructing new ones
Choose lower carbon materials
Limit the use of higher carbon materials
Choose materials crafted closer to home
Use prefabricated structures, especially prefabricated steel
Sustainable building / noun / The activity of making buildings that do not harm the environment, for example because they’re made with sustainable materials and/or use renewable resources for heat.
Choosing sustainable materials Most of a building’s total embodied carbon is released at the beginning of a building’s life. Hence, material choice can make a big impact on sustainability.
kgCO2/ton / measurement / A unit measurement for carbon dioxide emissions.
C
2
Used to quantify the environmental impact or carbon footprint of various goods, services, or energy sources.
Materials most likely to have high embodied carbon Cement PORTLAND CEMENT (GENERIC) = 1507.23 KG CO2/M3
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PORTLAND GREY CEMENT = 1196.64 KG CO2/M3
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PORTLAND-COMPOSITE CEMENT = 877.55 KG CO2/M3
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Reinforcement steel GENERIC STEEL REBAR (15% RECYCLED CONTENT) = 15935.5 KG CO2/M3
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STEEL REBAR (70% RECYCLED CONTENT) = 9263 KG CO2/M3
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RECYCLED STEEL REBAR (99% OR MORE RECYCLED CONTENT) = 3085.05 KG CO2/M3
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Aluminium STANDARD CAST ALUMINIUM (0% RECYCLED CONTENT) = 21883.5 KG CO2/M3
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CAST ALUMINIUM (20% RECYCLED CONTENT) = 17442 KG CO2/M3
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CAST ALUMINIUM (90% RECYCLED CONTENT) = 1902.42 KG CO2/M3
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Calculating your carbon footprint While there are databases and spreadsheets that can help you measure the carbon footprint of different building materials, these sources can be hard to find, hard to read, or not updated frequently. This lack of visibility, coupled with a long list of variables for every building material, means it can be difficult and complicated to choose the most sustainable materials for your buildings.
What contributes to the CO2/kg of a building material?
%
The material itself
The lifecycle of the material
Waste percentage
Transportation of the material to the construction site
Introducing Naviate Zero
The production process of the material
Naviate Zero puts carbon emissions data at your fingertips, right within Revit. With one click, you have access to up-to-date lifecycle assessment information from around the world so that you can make more informed decisions about the materials used in your building designs.
Click here to learn more about Naviate Zero Or visit the link: https://bit.ly/3NqXRMe
Sources https://www.netzerocarbonguide.co.uk/guide/designing-and-building/materials-strategy/embodied-carbon-strategies https://circularecology.com/ https://www.climateaction.org/news/carbon-footprint-of-recycled-aluminium https://single-market-economy.ec.europa.eu/sectors/construction/construction-products-regulation-cpr/review_en https://carbonleadershipforum.org/embodied-carbon-101/