A Beginners Guide to Embodied Carbon

What Is Embodied Carbon?

Embodied carbon is the total greenhouse gas emissions (mainly CO₂) released to produce, transport, install, maintain, and dispose of a material or building. Think of it as the carbon footprint baked into things before you even use them.

It includes emissions from:

• Extracting raw materials
• Manufacturing products
• Transportation of materials
• Construction activities
• Repairs and replacements
• Demolition and disposal

If operational carbon is emissions while a building is running, then embodied carbon is emissions from everything before and after.

Why Is Embodied Carbon Important?

Historically, most emissions came from operational energy use (heating, cooling, electricity). As buildings become more energy-efficient and move toward renewable power, embodied carbon becomes a bigger piece of the pie.

Embodied carbon can account for 40–70% of a building’s lifetime emissions in new, efficient buildings. These emissions happen right now, at the beginning of a building’s life—when the climate needs reductions the most.

Where Does Embodied Carbon Come From?

Here are some common high embodied carbon building materials and their typical impact:

Material: Why It Has High Embodied Carbon

Concrete: Cement production is energy-intensive and releases CO₂ by chemical reaction.

Steel: Requires high-temperature furnaces and mining which is powered by burning fossil fuels.

Insulation: Some foams use fossil-fuel-based feedstocks.

Glass: Needs very high heat to produce which is powered by burning fossil fuels.

Aluminum: Extremely energy-intensive to refine which is powered by burning fossil fuels.

Low-carbon materials include timber, low-carbon concrete mixes, recycled steel, and natural bio-based materials such as straw, hemp, earth.

How Is Embodied Carbon Measured?

Usually through a Life Cycle Assessment (LCA), which looks at emissions across different stages:

• Product Stage (A1–A3)
  • Raw materials → Manufacturing → Packaging
• Construction Stage (A4–A5)
  • Transport to site → Installation
• Use Stage (B1–B5)
  • Maintenance, repair, refurbishment
• End-of-Life Stage (C1–C4)
  • Demolition → Disposal → Recycling

For beginners, the most important stages are often A1–A3, as they contain the biggest chunk of emissions.

How Do You Reduce Embodied Carbon?

You can make a big difference using a few simple building design strategies:

Build Less

• • Renovate existing buildings instead of constructing new ones.
  • Optimize structural design (e.g., fewer materials, less concrete).

Choose Low-Carbon Materials

• • Use recycled content (steel, aluminum).
  • Use low-carbon or cement-reduced concrete mixes.
  • Use sustainably sourced timber (PEFC/FSC).
  • Choose bio-based materials where appropriate.

Design for Longevity

• • Make buildings durable and adaptable so replacements are needed less.
  • Design for a future climate.

Reuse + Recycle

• • Salvage materials from demolition.
  • Design for disassembly and future reuse.

Embodied Carbon reduction is one of the key principles in sustainable building design. No building can be constructed without embodied carbon impacts, however you as the consumer can make conscious descisions at design stage to minimise the impact your project will have.