They present an extensive life-cycle assessment of the building and pavement sectors that estimates how greenhouse gas (GHG) reduction strategies — including those for concrete and cement — could minimize the cumulative emissions of each industry and how those reductions would compare to national GHG reduction targets. The team found that if reduction strategies were implemented, the emissions for pavements and buildings between 2016 and 2050 could fall by up to 65 percent and 57 percent, respectively, even if concrete use accelerated significantly over that period. These are close to U.S. reduction targets in the Paris Climate Accords. The solutions would also enable concrete production for both sectors to attain carbon neutrality by 2050. Despite continued grid decarbonization and increases in fuel efficiency, they found that the vast majority of the GHG emissions from new buildings and pavements during this period would derive from operational energy consumption rather than so-called embodied emissions — emissions from materials production and construction. Read the MIT Research Brief. https://bityl.co/OZhV
Northwest Cement Council’s Post
More Relevant Posts
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A new report by Climate Group and Ramboll highlights a transformative trend in the construction sector: nearly half of companies are willing to pay a premium for low-carbon concrete! The research indicates that 40% of respondents are interested in a 25% reduction in emissions, while 49% would pay for a 50% reduction. Furthermore, there’s a growing willingness to invest in low-carbon steel as well. https://hubs.ly/Q02Tcl300
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A recent report from The Climate Group indicates that project stakeholders are willing to pay more for low-carbon concrete and materials. The report is based on a global survey of 250+ companies. Learn more about the results from Concrete Products here: https://loom.ly/emWZF64 #ConcreteIndustry #ConstructionInnovation #IndustryGrowth
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Managing Director & Partner bei Boston Consulting Group (BCG) | Global Climate & Sustainability Lead for Materials & Process Industries
The German building materials sector, the backbone of the construction industry, is facing immense challenges and opportunities. 🏗️🌱 #TransformationPaths: In light of rising energy costs and an intensification of CO2 pricing, the transformation towards climate-neutral production processes is becoming increasingly urgent. This is highlighted in our Transformation Paths report, which we developed on behalf of the BDI - Bundesverband der Deutschen Industrie e.V. and in collaboration with the German Economic Institute. CO2-intensive building materials, such as cement and concrete, are particularly affected and must make significant investments in CO2 capture and storage technologies. The implementation of the Carbon Management Strategy, decided in May 2024, is an important step in keeping the sector competitive. However, there is a risk that different CO2 strategies across Europe could lead to competitive disadvantages. How can the German building materials sector overcome the current economic downturn and mobilize necessary climate protection investments? Learn more in our report: https://lnkd.in/dTcQPba3 (full study only available in German) #BCG #ClimateNeutrality #Innovation #NetZero
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It's no secret that the construction sector bears a heavy responsibility, contributing 27% of total global greenhouse gas emissions. Learn about the key emission sources and the evolving processes that are helping to reduce our industry's carbon footprint in Erland's comprehensive report. #BuildingsStandWithErland #SustainableConstruction
Did you know? The construction sector accounts for a staggering 27% of total global greenhouse gas emissions. Discover the significant contributors and evolving processes aimed at reducing our industry's carbon footprint in our latest report, Embodied Carbon in Construction Materials Production: https://lnkd.in/gdYEi8eG #BuildingsStandWithErland #SustainableConstruction
Embodied Carbon in Construction Materials Production
erland.com
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Did you know? The construction sector accounts for a staggering 27% of total global greenhouse gas emissions. Discover the significant contributors and evolving processes aimed at reducing our industry's carbon footprint in our latest report, Embodied Carbon in Construction Materials Production: https://lnkd.in/gdYEi8eG #BuildingsStandWithErland #SustainableConstruction
Embodied Carbon in Construction Materials Production
erland.com
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State departments of transportation (DOTs) are increasingly focusing on reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, especially with new regulations like the Buy Clean Acts in California, Oregon, and Washington. This Friday at Portland State University, join us as Milad Zokaei Ashtiani of the University of Washington shares a project which, in collaboration with Washington State Department of Transportation, aims to assess the agency's carbon emissions through a life cycle assessment of construction materials such as cement, concrete, steel, and asphalt, which are now under heightened scrutiny. While WSDOT has already implemented strategies to reduce Scope 1 and Scope 2 emissions (related to direct and energy-related activities), there has been limited focus on Scope 3 emissions—those generated upstream in the supply chain. This life cycle assessment reveals that Scope 3 emissions from materials used in WSDOT’s roadways contribute over half of the agency’s total GHG emissions, averaging 310 thousand metric tons of CO2 equivalent annually. The study emphasizes the critical need to address these emissions and sets ambitious reduction targets for WSDOT: a 50% reduction below 2020 levels by 2030 and a 90% reduction by 2050. These findings and recommendations provide a pathway for WSDOT to lead in sustainable infrastructure practices, aligning with broader transportation goals to mitigate environmental impacts from construction materials. https://lnkd.in/gJgYJSrk
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In a nutshell, a zero-emissions building must: 1) be energy efficient: existing buildings must have an Energy Star score of at least 75 and a new buildings score of at least 90 or 10% better than the model code. 2) not emit any greenhouse gases directly, such as from burning fossil fuels onsite. (Burning fuels onsite for backup power is allowed.) 3) be powered entirely by “clean energy” with no associated greenhouse gas emissions from onsite or offsite sources. https://lnkd.in/eR3xMNtW
Industry Aligns on Federal Zero-Emissions-Building Definition
buildinggreen.com
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Mott MacDonald's Aotearoa Carbon Crunch: what a stimulating session! So great to see the hard-to-decarbonize industries innovating their way to decarbonization. What seemed impossible just two years ago is now well underway. Key takeaways: Carolyn Cox attributes success to "innovating beyond our comfort level." Urging KPIs to inspire and inform, she said, "It's no longer just the responsibility of the sustainability team. It's now with everyone." Nick Dempsey of Mott MacDonald introduced the panel saying, "50% of emissions on projects are embodied carbon. The two key hot spots are concrete and steel." Enter Tim Kleier of Concrete NZ who narrowed it down further. "82% of concrete's embodied carbon is cement." He urged engineers and architects to specify concrete with up to 40% SCMs replacing cement. For most projects, there is little to no added cost! "Make specifications performance based, to allow your teams to innovate." Of course, what is concrete without steel? Israel MacDonald of NZ Steel pointed out two innovations ðriving carbon reductions in steel manufacture - the arc furnace and hydrogen DRI. The arc furnace under construction will bring a 55% reduction of scope 1 emissions with over half of the steel coming from scrap material. And hydrogen in place of coal? Fe2O3+H2 -> Fe+H2O. What a beautiful formula! But are we ready? Israel notes steel decarbonization and electrification requires an added electricity supply equal to "1/4 to 1/5th of the world's electricity". Arc furnaces and electrolysis derived hydrogen will need power, so we can't slow down our capacity production. The message reiterated most: "Sustainability is important to our staff." Tapping into the sustainability knowledge and passion of your internal team in any department could yield innovation and engagement. It seems the best tool to decarbonize... is us! #carboncrunch #mottmacdonald #ISC #Infrastucture #greensteel #concrete #decarbonization #sustainableinfrastructure
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Interested to hear thoughts on how we can close the gap between our current and desired point of decarbonization in the buildings and construction industry. Thanks for the tag Stefan de Linde!
The Global Status Report for Buildings and Construction, published by UN Environment Programme and Global Alliance for Buildings and Construction (GlobalABC), provides an annual snapshot of the progress of the buildings and construction. As outlined in the latest edition, the buildings and construction sector: ⭕ accounts for 21% of global GHG emissions ⭕ is responsible for 34% of global energy demand, and ⭕ 37% of energy and process-related CO2 emissions. As shown in the picture below, the update of the Global Buildings Climate Tracker (GBCT) paints a concerning picture: the gap between the current state and the desired decarbonisation path is significant. To align with the 2030 milestone, an annual increase of ten decarbonization points in now required (up from the 6 points anticipated per year in 2015)! The report dives into a variety of topics including finance, adaptation and resilient construction methods, innovation in business cases, and nature-based solutions. 👉 Download the report: https://lnkd.in/e6kNxmUq
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The construction of new buildings contributed 10% of global carbon dioxide emissions in 2022.🌇💨 Explore new data from #SystemsChangeLab to learn how the world can decarbonize both construction and buildings themselves. https://bit.ly/3AmcFrZ
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