The embodied energy (and embodied carbon) of building materials has always been important, but as we create more energy-efficient buildings, the proportion of total life cycle energy use and carbon emissions associated with manufacture and transport of the materials going into those buildings becomes more significant. Also, reductions in the embodied carbon emissions of materials have an immediate benefit, while the carbon reductions through reducing the building's energy consumption in operations are accrued over a longer period of time. Reducing the embodied carbon emissions of materials has a very important role to play in slowing global climate change as the goal is to reduce the total quantity of carbon dioxide getting into the atmosphere and do it as quickly as possible.

Carbon Footprint of Nylon Carpet

The 2030 Challenge for Products from Architecture 2030 aims to reduce the embodied carbon (meaning the carbon emissions equivalent) of building products by 50% by 2030. Of the total energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions in the U.S., 5%–8% results from the manufacture and transport of building products and the construction of buildings.

To meet the 2030 Challenge for Products, industry leaders are working to develop accurate and comparative data on the embodied carbon pf building products. To allow comparison of products against the 2030 goals requires standardization of the process of measuring embodied carbon. Industry groups are now developing product category rules (PCRs) that define how to undertake a life cycle assessment in a consistent fashion and display its results in an Environmental Product Declaration (EPD) for any individual product in a building product category. These EPDs provide comparable information on the life cycle impact of a range of environmental flows from building product life cycles, including but not limited to carbon. While focusing attention on carbon, the Challenge will also aid the development of robust measurement systems that will improve our ability to also assess other health and environmental impacts of building products.

This Information Hub, a partnership of BuildingGreen, Architecture 2030, and Healthy Building Network, is intended to provide design professionals, manufacturers, or other interested parties with the information and resources they need to achieve embodied carbon reduction goals.