Transforming Existing Buildings from Climate Liabilities to Climate Assets

The document examines how selecting materials with low embodied carbon or carbon-storing properties during building retrofits can prevent emissions spikes and transform buildings into carbon sinks. It analyzes exterior insulation systems and affordable multifamily housing projects in the Northeast to demonstrate that sustainable material substitutes are currently available to help meet 2030 decarbonization goals.

• Retrofitting an existing building is significantly less carbon-intensive than new construction, emitting 50 to 75 percent less carbon, though the upfront embodied carbon of retrofit materials must be managed to avoid negating operating emissions reductions.
• An analysis of 24 deep energy retrofit exterior insulation systems demonstrates that lower embodied carbon alternatives are currently available to replace traditional materials.
• The adoption of carbon-storing materials, such as hemp, bamboo, and straw, is critical for meeting 2030 decarbonization targets and can potentially turn buildings into carbon sinks that store greenhouse gases for their remaining service life.

APA

RMI (2023). Transforming Existing Buildings from Climate Liabilities to Climate Assets. https://rmi.org/resources/transforming-existing-buildings-from-climate-liabilities-to-climate-assets/

Chicago

RMI. Transforming Existing Buildings from Climate Liabilities to Climate Assets. 2023. https://rmi.org/resources/transforming-existing-buildings-from-climate-liabilities-to-climate-assets/.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=RMI |title=Transforming Existing Buildings from Climate Liabilities to Climate Assets |date=6 February 2023 |url=https://rmi.org/resources/transforming-existing-buildings-from-climate-liabilities-to-climate-assets/ |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{rmi2023transforming, author = {{RMI}}, title = {{Transforming Existing Buildings from Climate Liabilities to Climate Assets}}, institution = {RMI}, year = {2023}, month = feb, url = {https://rmi.org/resources/transforming-existing-buildings-from-climate-liabilities-to-climate-assets/}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }