Buildings and their construction account for around 40% of all carbon emissions today. Half those emissions come from the construction alone, so buildings successfully powered by clean energy wonât come close to fixing the whole problem. John Matson and Rebecca Esau at RMI describe how industry leaders are creating the tools to measure and gather data on the âembodied carbonâ in building materials (concrete, rebar, glazing, insulation, other … [Read more...]
Buildings: France and Flanders lead on decarbonising new builds
Buildings are responsible for 36% of total EU carbon emissions. So, since the start of 2021 European legislation requires all new buildings to be ânearly zero energyâ. The frontrunners are France and Flanders in Belgium, according to a new report from the Buildings Performance Institute Europe (BPIE), writes Clare Taylor. Both jurisdictions have plans for phasing out fossil fuels in new buildings within five years. Taylor explains how Flanders … [Read more...]
How to cut Full Life-cycle Buildings Emissions
Most efforts to decarbonise buildings are focused on âoperationalâ emissions. Thatâs because, once constructed, buildings are responsible for a massive 30% of global final energy use and 28% of carbon emissions. But that focus has meant the âembodiedâ carbon â from the materials, construction, demolition, and recycling of buildings â has received little attention, explain Meng Wang and Yihan Hao at RMI. Thatâs despite the numbers still being … [Read more...]
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