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The report evaluates the use of bio-based materials from agricultural and forestry residues as a mechanism for carbon dioxide removal (CDR) in the building sector. Using BEAM life cycle assessment software, it estimates a cumulative global carbon removal capacity of 3.6 Gt CO2 by 2050, with an additional 16.5 Gt CO2 in avoided emissions. The analysis highlights that while non-timber biomass offers significant potential, the integration of mass timber could increase storage by fivefold. Implementation is hindered by challenges in carbon accounting, durability, and building code compliance, though emerging policies in the EU, Canada, and the US are beginning to incentivize biogenic carbon storage.

The document analyzes proposed EU amendments to the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) intended to simplify compliance for EU importers. While the briefing notes that changes to the scope and payment timing may have minimal material impact on African exporters, it warns that modifications to 'default values' for embedded emissions and carbon pricing could negatively affect exporters. Specifically, the shift toward global averages for the most carbon-intensive countries rather than EU-specific benchmarks may increase costs for African producers lacking reliable data. The report concludes that the amendments primarily benefit EU importers and may penalize African exporters who lack the administrative capacity to provide actual installation data.

C-PACE programs have provided $9 billion in financing for energy efficiency in 25 US states and cities, but most were established before embodied carbon data was available. The briefing proposes that C-PACE administrators update guidelines to classify low-embodied-carbon materials as "energy improvements," utilizing tools like Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs) and Whole Building Life Cycle Assessments. To incentivize this shift, the author suggests increasing financing limits for projects that demonstrate embodied carbon reduction. RMI is facilitating a working group through 2025 to develop nationwide best practices for integrating embodied carbon into C-PACE guidelines.

The report argues that shifting from prescriptive 'recipe-based' concrete specifications to performance-based standards (PSS) is essential for scaling low-carbon concrete and meeting climate goals. It identifies key bottlenecks—specifically the lack of a standardized suite of tests for durability and workability—and proposes a collaborative model where project stakeholders (owners, engineers, contractors, and labs) use real-world projects as testbeds to gather data. The document outlines specific roles for each stakeholder, provides case studies from DOTs and private firms, and suggests starting points for testing strength, durability, and workability to build a robust, industry-wide PSS.

The document examines the challenge of carbon leakage, where carbon pricing in one jurisdiction drives emissions to others. It evaluates several policy responses: international carbon pricing frameworks, Border Carbon Adjustments (BCAs), carbon cost containment (such as free allocations in ETS), subsidies, and product standards. Each tool is analyzed based on its effectiveness in preventing leakage, its impact on decarbonization incentives, administrative complexity, and potential conflicts with WTO law or international principles like 'common but differentiated responsibilities'.

The briefing advocates for a coordinated approach to building decarbonization and resilience in the US, emphasizing that these goals are complementary. It specifically prioritizes 'passive measures'—such as weatherization and envelope retrofits—to manage peak electricity demand, improve energy affordability, and extend the 'hours of safety' for occupants during power outages, particularly for vulnerable populations.

The report argues that achieving a net-zero building sector is critical for China's carbon neutrality, as the sector accounted for 32 percent of the country's CO2 emissions in 2022. It outlines four primary areas for decarbonization: operational emissions, embodied carbon, new growth models through technology and market mechanisms, and equity and inclusion in affordable and rural housing. The document emphasizes that the next 5–10 years are critical for accelerating the adoption of carbon-neutral technologies to decouple emissions from the continued growth of building floor space and energy demand.

The document examines the intersection of forest management and sustainable construction in Colorado. It highlights how a century of fire suppression and climate change have led to overstocked forests, increasing the risk of high-intensity wildfires. The authors propose scaling the production of mass timber—engineered wood products—using small-diameter trees harvested during thinning operations. This approach aims to offset the high cost of forest treatments, create local jobs, and reduce the embodied carbon of buildings compared to steel and concrete. The report concludes with a call for coordinated action from policymakers, developers, and insurers to establish a 'wood-first' procurement strategy and a state-level Mass Timber Action Plan.

The document argues that Oregon cannot achieve climate-safe emission levels through individual behavioral changes or technological solutions alone. It highlights a significant 'emissions gap' where consumption-based emissions grew over 20% in 16 years, despite stabilizing in-state production emissions. The authors advocate for a shift from growth-centric neoclassical economics toward paradigms like the well-being economy, degrowth, and doughnut economics. Proposed structural interventions for Oregon include redesigning economic measurements beyond GDP, investing in the care economy, implementing carbon pricing, and adopting smart growth urban policies to ensure a just and equitable transition.

The document argues that reducing embodied carbon—which accounts for an estimated 11% of global emissions—is a necessary technology transition that must be completed by 2050. It presents a business case for developers, noting that embodied carbon often comprises a substantial part of Scope 3 emissions and that failure to adopt low-carbon practices could lead to stranded assets. The guide divides recommendations into building-level strategies (reducing material use, increasing utilization, switching to low-carbon materials, and designing for disassembly) and corporate-level strategies (institutionalizing practices, prioritizing retrofits, marketing successes, reporting Scope 3 emissions, and aggregating demand through buyer coalitions).

The report examines the use of environmental attribute certificates (EACs) via a book and claim model to scale lower-carbon steel and concrete. It argues that this mechanism allows organizations to fund upstream decarbonization even when they cannot directly procure low-carbon materials. The authors identify critical infrastructure needs—including certification schemes, standards, registries, and reporting guidelines—and share lessons from a Microsoft pilot, noting that the market is currently in early stages with a lack of fit-for-purpose accounting methods.

The report identifies that buildings account for up to 70-80% of collective emissions from buildings, transport, and waste in secondary cities of Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan. While both nations have introduced energy efficiency targets—Uzbekistan aiming for a 50% improvement in overall economy energy efficiency by 2030 and Kazakhstan targeting a 15% reduction in energy intensity by 2029—implementation is hindered by significant energy subsidies (up to 50% for residential buildings) and a lack of technical capacity. The document maps 12 international entities providing project preparation support and proposes 12 recommendations to address gaps in data, awareness, institutional coordination, and dedicated financial instruments.

The document highlights how current life-cycle assessments (LCAs) for building materials in Canada may misdirect decarbonization efforts due to data gaps and a lack of transparency. It specifically notes that LCAs often ignore biogenic carbon emissions from wood products, which can account for up to 72% of their total lifecycle emissions, potentially overstating the carbon advantage of wood over materials like concrete and steel. The briefing recommends that the federal government invest in regionalized national life-cycle inventories and that policymakers prioritize energy efficiency, building durability, and material efficiency over a narrow focus on embodied emissions.

The guide outlines four strategic initiatives for state DOTs to reduce the embodied carbon of concrete infrastructure: integrating Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs) into procurement, adjusting material specifications to allow higher supplementary cementitious material (SCM) content, demonstrating Performance Engineered Mixture (PEM) designs, and piloting innovative near-zero or zero-emissions materials.

The Buildings Criteria provide a framework for certifying Use-of-Proceeds instruments, assets, entities, and Sustainability-Linked Debt based on their emissions performance. Eligibility is determined through two primary pathways: an Absolute Performance Threshold (using city-specific trajectories or approved proxies) and a Relative Performance Improvement pathway (requiring 30-50% emissions reductions for retrofits). New buildings constructed after 2023 face stricter requirements, including a total ban on fossil fuels for heating, hot water, and cooking, and mandatory infrastructure for electric mobility. Starting January 1, 2026, new buildings must also report on Whole Life Carbon Assessments (WLCA), with specific emissions thresholds for steel and cement. The criteria also define certification levels for entities and sustainability-linked debt, categorizing them as either 'Aligned' or 'Transition' based on their adherence to low-carbon trajectories.

The EPA is launching an EPD Assistance Program funded by the Inflation Reduction Act to support the development and standardization of Environmental Product Declarations for construction materials. The program offers grants between $250,000 and $10 million to U.S.-based manufacturers and supporting organizations to facilitate the use of low-embodied carbon materials in government procurement initiatives like Buy Clean.

The document explains the eligibility and certification process for Low Carbon Buildings Bonds, detailing the pathways to achieve net-zero by 2050 and the specific requirements for new and existing buildings. It outlines the use of trajectories and proxies to measure emissions intensity and highlights new 2023 requirements for new buildings, including the prohibition of fossil fuels and mandatory Whole Life Carbon Assessments.

The report identifies 22 systemic barriers to net zero carbon buildings, categorized as financial, investment risk/opportunity, market readiness, and regulatory. Using network analysis, it establishes that financial barriers are the most critical from a demand perspective but are often dependent on the mitigation of regulatory and market readiness barriers. The authors map 31 policy and 44 financial instruments, categorizing them into fundamental inputs (such as capacity development and fiscal instruments) and dependent inputs (such as debt instruments and asset finance models). The report highlights five high-impact pathways for cities: phasing out fossil-fuel appliances, implementing energy efficiency building codes, deploying results-based grants for cooling, using skills development for embodied carbon reduction, and publishing climate risk data for adaptation. It emphasizes that mandates are central to the transition, as they enable the development of new financial mechanisms.

RMI's guide outlines a framework for US state governments to reduce embodied carbon—emissions from the extraction, manufacturing, transport, construction, and disposal of materials—in state-owned building projects. The guide proposes four core strategies, including the implementation of Buy Clean policies targeting high-emitting materials like steel and cement, to send demand signals to the market and accelerate decarbonization across the building industry's value chain.

The report identifies a fragmented policy environment and significant perceived cost barriers hindering the adoption of net zero carbon buildings in Nigeria. While the country possesses an advanced green bond market and established conventional debt financing, most other financial and policy instruments remain nascent or small-scale. The authors recommend establishing a national net zero carbon building strategy, increasing professional capacity, and ensuring a just transition that links building affordability with local job creation.