Embodied Carbon: Why It Matters for Your Carbon-Reduction Strategy

Presented by Sustainable Pittsburgh and CEOs for Sustainability

You have a handle on the greenhouse gas emissions associated with your organization’s operations, and maybe you’ve even inventoried them as a basis for your carbon-reduction strategy. But what about emissions generated over the life cycle of the buildings you operate from? How about emissions generated over the entire life cycle of your products? 

According to Architecture 2030, embodied carbon will account for almost half of total new construction emissions between now and 2050. That makes for an incredible opportunity to reduce the emissions associated with buildings, from the extraction, manufacture, and selection of the building materials through construction processes to occupancy. Suppliers of building materials have reduced their carbon emissions and achieved market advantage through Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs), attesting to their low-carbon designs. Following this strategy, manufacturers from other sectors are evaluating ways to reduce embodied carbon. Brands as diverse as Logitech, Dove soap, Lipton teas, and Adidas are moving toward carbon footprint labels on their products. What are the opportunities for your organization?