AIA-CLF Embodied Carbon Toolkit

To decarbonize buildings, architects and building designers must reduce the environmental footprint and CO₂ emissions associated with materials over the whole life cycle of building.  Through life cycle assessment (LCA), the highest-impact, most cost-effective solutions to reducing embodied carbon are identified.  This toolkit provides architects an understanding of measuring embodied carbon and the steps for its reduction in their projects.  Basic strategies include building less and reusing more by extending the life of materials and buildings as well as building lighter and smarter with less of a given material or floor area.  Moreover, it suggests procuring lower-carbon materials and products.