Buy Clean and Beyond: A Guide to Reaching Net-Zero Embodied Carbon in State-Owned Building Projects
Executive Summary
The "Buy Clean and Beyond" report offers a comprehensive guide to help state governments achieve net-zero embodied carbon emissions from public building projects. It emphasizes the importance of addressing embodied carbon in building materials, which represents a significant source of climate pollution. The report outlines four core strategies:
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Robust "Buy Clean" Procurement Program: Establishes emissions standards for major building materials, aiming to reduce emissions from the entire supply chain.
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Incentives for Advanced Materials: Pilots and policies that encourage the use of highly decarbonized materials like zero-carbon cement, steel, mass timber, and bio-based insulation.
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Whole-Project Embodied Carbon Performance Standards: Enables holistic benchmarking of state-owned building projects, incentivizing efficient design choices and uptake of low-carbon materials.
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Climate-Smart Portfolio Planning: Shifts focus towards preserving, renovating, and adaptively reusing existing buildings to reduce overall emissions.
Introduction
The imperative for reducing greenhouse gas emissions within the next two decades underscores the need for immediate action in the building and construction sector. This sector's role in combating climate change is heightened by the concept of the "time value of carbon," emphasizing the importance of reducing emissions in the near term. Embodied carbon, the carbon footprint associated with the creation, transportation, and disposal of building materials, becomes a focal point for addressing climate impacts.
Key Strategies
1. Robust "Buy Clean" Program
- Implement a procurement policy with emissions targets for key building materials.
- Gradually increase the stringency and climate impact of these targets.
- Incentivize manufacturers to produce materials with reduced embodied carbon.
2. Advanced Material Market Pilots
- Pilot projects that mandate or incentivize the purchase of deeply decarbonized materials.
- Focus on innovative materials such as zero-carbon cement, steel, mass timber, and bio-based products.
3. Whole-Project Embodied Carbon Standards
- Set performance benchmarks for project emissions to encourage holistic design choices.
- Flexibly incentivize the use of efficient designs and low-carbon materials.
4. Climate-Smart Portfolio Planning
- Develop a strategic approach to building projects that prioritizes existing structures over new construction.
- Leverage building reuse and renovation to maximize embodied carbon savings.
Conclusion
Adopting a multifaceted approach to reduce embodied carbon in state-owned buildings will lead to significant carbon savings over time, supporting state governments' climate goals while driving the market towards net-zero embodied carbon for all buildings. By implementing these strategies, state governments can effectively mitigate climate impacts and contribute to a sustainable future.
