Reducing Embodied Carbon in the Built Environment

The document outlines the impact of the built environment on global emissions and provides a framework for designers to reduce embodied carbon. It emphasizes that the most cost-effective interventions occur early in the design phase and suggests five key strategies: collaborative design, effective design (including adaptive reuse), efficient design, low-carbon material selection, and designing for longevity.

• Buildings contribute at least 39% of annual global energy-related carbon emissions, with at least 25% of those emissions stemming from embodied carbon, which refers to emissions from construction and building materials.
• Designers can most effectively and cheaply reduce embodied carbon by implementing strategies early in the design phase, before major decisions are finalized. They can achieve this through whole-building design, specification, and one-for-one material substitution.
• The document recommends five specific strategies for carbon reduction: collaborative design with stakeholders; effective design focusing on adaptive reuse and existing assets; efficient design to minimize material quantities; low-carbon design prioritizing renewable materials and reducing high-carbon materials like steel and concrete; and designing for longevity through deconstruction and flexible reuse.

APA

RMI (n.d.). Reducing Embodied Carbon in the Built Environment. https://rmi.org/app/uploads/2021/09/EC_2_Pager_For_Designers.pdf

Chicago

RMI. Reducing Embodied Carbon in the Built Environment. n.d. https://rmi.org/app/uploads/2021/09/EC_2_Pager_For_Designers.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=RMI |title=Reducing Embodied Carbon in the Built Environment |url=https://rmi.org/app/uploads/2021/09/EC_2_Pager_For_Designers.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{rmindreducing, author = {{RMI}}, title = {{Reducing Embodied Carbon in the Built Environment}}, institution = {RMI}, url = {https://rmi.org/app/uploads/2021/09/EC_2_Pager_For_Designers.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }