You’ve probably heard the term “carbon emissions” thrown around when talking about climate change. Most of the time, that refers to operational carbon—the emissions produced while a building is in use, like from heating, cooling, or lighting. But there’s another major player in the carbon conversation that often flies under the radar: embodied carbon.
So, what exactly is embodied carbon?
Put simply, embodied carbon is the total greenhouse gas emissions associated with the materials and construction processes used to build something—from the extraction of raw materials all the way to demolition. This includes emissions from:
- Mining or harvesting materials
- Manufacturing and transporting those materials
- Construction and installation
- Maintenance and eventual disposal or recycling
It’s basically the “carbon cost” of getting a building off the ground, long before the lights are even switched on.
Why does embodied carbon matter?
With growing awareness of climate change and the urgent need to reduce emissions, the focus has traditionally been on operational energy efficiency (like solar panels and better insulation). And that’s great—but here’s the kicker: embodied carbon can account for over 50%of a building’s total emissions over its lifecycle, especially in newer, energy-efficient buildings.
And once it's released, there's no undoing it. While we can improve how a building performs over time, the embodied carbon is already out there, in the atmosphere.
A quick example
Imagine you’re building a house. The concrete in the foundation, the steel in the frame, the bricks in the walls—all those materials took energy to make and transport. That energy, unless it came from clean, renewable sources, released carbon emissions. Multiply that by every component of every building in the world, and it adds up fast.
The big picture
With global construction expected to double by 2060, reducing embodied carbon is key to meeting climate goals. The good news? There are more and more ways to do this, like:
- Choosing low-carbon materials (e.g., timber instead of steel or concrete)
- Reusing existing buildings or building elements
- Working with suppliers that use renewable energy or recycled content
- Designing buildings for disassembly and reuse
What you can do
Whether you're a homeowner, architect, builder, or developer, understanding embodied carbon empowers better choices. Ask questions about materials. Look for Environmental Product Declarations(EPDs). Consider the full lifecycle of a project—not just how it runs, but how it's made.
Embodied carbon might be invisible to the eye, but its impact is very real. By shining a light on it, we can build not just better buildings, but a better future.