Tag: embodied carbon

The Rise of Green Construction Materials for Facility Projects

In all likelihood, you’ve noticed—and participated in—the shift toward green facility management over the recent years. One overlooked aspect of sustainability is keeping things green even before a facility starts being used. By ensuring new facilities are built with sustainable principles, they are better suited to fit in with existing infrastructure. While it can be […]

EPA Announces Label Program for Greener Construction Materials

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recently announced it’s implementing a new label program to boost clean American manufacturing by helping federal purchasers and other buyers find and buy cleaner, more climate-friendly construction materials and products. “The label program is made possible by a $100 million investment in the Biden-Harris Administration’s Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) and aims […]

Decarbonization Strategies for the Whole Building Life Cycle

As climate change reshapes our world, the demand for environmentally responsible building practices has never been more urgent, especially given that the architecture, engineering, and construction (AEC) industry contributes more than 37% of global carbon emissions. A new focus on sustainable construction is emerging, with a particular emphasis on the critical role of embodied carbon. […]

Expert Q&A: What Will It Take to Make Net-Zero Buildings a Reality?

Did you know buildings account for a whopping 37% of all carbon emissions in the world? In order to combat climate change, countries have set a global goal to reach net-zero emissions by 2050, and in order to help save money and the planet, corporations and other organizations have set sustainability targets of their own. […]

Top 10 Earth Day Must-Reads for Facilities Managers

Unless Elon Musk stops messing around with Twitter and gets us to Mars, Earth is our only home for the foreseeable future. That means we’ve got to take good care of the planet and conserve its finite natural resources. It’s also why sustainability is a hot topic all year long and why facilities managers are […]

Biden Admin Seeks Input on National Definition for Zero-Emissions Buildings

What constitutes a zero-emissions building? The Biden administration is working to create a national, standardized, and verifiable definition for all stakeholders. The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has developed Part 1 of a draft national definition for zero-emissions buildings and is now seeking feedback from industry, academia, research laboratories, government agencies, and other stakeholders through […]

U.S. Green Building Council’s HQ Achieves Triple Platinum Certification

Triple-platinum status isn’t just for rock stars and rappers anymore! The U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) announced that its headquarters in Washington, D.C., has been awarded a prestigious triple Platinum certification in LEED, TRUE, and WELL. This trio of certifications reflects USGBC’s commitment to healthy, productive, sustainable, and responsible work environments. The new headquarters, which also houses Green Business Certification […]

How California Can Slash Carbon from Building Materials

The carbon emissions associated with materials used in the built environment, referred to as “embodied carbon,” are estimated to contribute up to 11% of all global energy-related carbon emissions. According to a new report from sustainable development consultancy Arup, developed on behalf of the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC), California is one of the first states in […]