How embodied carbon emissions from new buildings can be reduced
The study published today on behalf of Agora Industry makes it clear that embodied carbon emissions (ECE) from new buildings caused by the production of building materials and building construction must be reduced by 90 % by 2045 in order to achieve the climate targets. Today, too many ECEs are still generated during the construction of new buildings. The average for detached and semi-detached houses is 320 kg/m², for apartment blocks around 229 kg/m² and for office buildings as much as 370 kg/m². The construction method, i.e. the material predominantly used for the load-bearing structure, has a particular influence on the emissions produced. The analysis show that buildings made of reinforced concrete release the highest ECE (354 kg/m²). This is followed by the other mineral building materials sand-lime brick (296 kg/m²) and brick (279 kg/m²). Buildings made of timber fared best in the study, emitting only 165 kg/m² (solid wood) and 187 kg/m² (lightweight timber construction).
The necessary reduction is also a key to promoting the climate-neutral transformation of the basic materials industry. As the main demand sector for steel, concrete and plastics, the construction industry can play a pioneering role as a lead market for climate-friendly materials and thus create long-term investment security for the basic materials industry.
In addition to the decarbonisation of basic materials, circular practices, such as the reuse of building components or recycling of materials, and the substitution of climate-damaging with low-emission, e.g. renewable building materials, are crucial to achieving the climate targets. In the medium term, this would only increase construction costs by around one per cent.
The most important political lever for increasing the demand for climate-friendly building materials is the implementation of the requirements of the European Buildings Directive (EPBD), according to which embodied carbon emission requirements must be gradually introduced for new buildings. Additional measures proposed include the modernisation of building legislation, financial incentives, training and information campaigns as well as an improvement in the data situation.
The study can be downloaded here (in German).
More information can be found here.
Contact
Patrick Zimmermann
patrick.zimmermann@ifeu.de
+49 (0)6221 4767 815
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Florian Maiwald
florian.maiwald@ifeu.de
+49 (0)30 2844 57 821
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Prof. Dr. Martin Pehnt
martin.pehnt@ifeu.de
+49 (0)6221 4767 0
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