Low-Carbon Building Materials
Decarbonizing construction through sustainable material choices
Your Progress
Section 1 of 5The Hidden Carbon in Buildings
Buildings account for 39% of global CO₂ emissions. While operational energy (heating, cooling, lighting) gets most attention, embodied carbon—emissions from manufacturing, transporting, and installing materials—represents 11% of global emissions and up to 50% of a building's lifetime carbon footprint. Traditional materials like steel (2.4t CO₂/t), cement (0.9t CO₂/t), and aluminum (11t CO₂/t) have massive carbon footprints. Low-carbon alternatives can reduce embodied carbon by 50-90%.
The Problem
Construction materials cause 11% of global emissions. Cement alone: 8%. Steel: 7%. Most emissions occur before buildings are even used.
The Solution
Bio-based materials (timber, bamboo, hempcrete) store carbon. Recycled content cuts emissions 70-95%. Green alternatives exist for every material.
Circular Economy
Design for disassembly. Reuse components. Recycle materials. Close the loop to eliminate waste and minimize virgin material extraction.
Interactive Material Carbon Explorer
Compare carbon intensity, strength, and cost across material categories—enable comparison mode to select and compare up to 3 materials
Select Material Category
Cross-Laminated Timber
Engineered wood product storing carbon
Bamboo Composite
Fast-growing renewable material
Recycled Steel (EAF)
Electric arc furnace from scrap
Portland Cement Concrete
Standard concrete with OPC cement
Steel
Primary steel from iron ore via blast furnace
Aluminum
Primary aluminum via Hall-Héroult
Explore Embodied Carbon Analysis
Learn how to calculate and reduce embodied carbon in buildings