Embodied Carbon: What Is It, and Why Does It Matter?

Across the globe, the realities of climate change are sobering. Deadly fires in Maui and Canada, devastating floods in Libya, and increased hurricane activity in recent years are all directly attributable to the warming of our planet. 

During the past century, increased consumption of fossil fuels and associated emissions have resulted in a dramatic rise in the level of atmospheric carbon dioxide.   

As the negative impacts of increased CO2 in the atmosphere have become well understood, individuals and companies are seeking ways to curb their emissions. Per-capita CO2 emissions in the United States are among the highest of any country—more than 15 metric tons per person each year. These emissions include fossils fuels burned to power and heat homes and buildings, and to supply food, transportation, and everything else that supports our existence. Fifteen metric tons of CO2 can be hard to comprehend, but it is roughly the equivalent carbon emissions from burning 1,500 gallons of gasoline, or filling the tank of the typical sedan 100 times.

Our built environment accounts for nearly 40% of global CO2 emissions. This includes construction and operation of buildings, bridges, homes, and all other built infrastructure. Building materials alone account for more than 11% of total CO2 emissions. Expanding the reuse of building materials can have a significant, positive impact on our environment. 

You may have heard of the term embodied carbon, which refers to the total amount of CO2 generated from the manufacture, transportation, installation, maintenance, and disposal of an item. Embodied carbon can be calculated for any building material; understanding this metric can help guide our choices.   

Wood, for example, contains about 50% carbon by dry weight. As long as the wood remains in the building, the carbon remains sequestered and not released into the atmosphere. If that wood is reused at the end of the building’s lifecycle, the carbon remains sequestered, and the environment benefits. If that wood is landfilled, the carbon will be released into the atmosphere as the wood decomposes, contributing to a warming climate. 

In choices big and small, considering embodied carbon can help make a strong case for reuse. Ten linear feet of kitchen cabinetry and manufactured countertop contains approximately five metric tons of embodied carbon, or nearly one-third of a person’s carbon footprint for an entire year! The reuse of a typical vinyl window saves CO2 emissions equivalent to driving 200 miles, and the reuse of ten square feet of ceramic tile saves emissions equivalent to driving 25 miles. 

Because building materials have an outsized impact on carbon emissions, even a few of our choices can significantly enlarge or shrink our personal footprint. Extending the life of useful building materials is one way to help keep the climate sustainable for the next generation. 

Elijah Miller: A Solid Financial Foundation Leads to Innovation and Progress

Boston Building Resources members who attended the 2023 annual meeting, held May 9 at the Boston Nature Center in Mattapan, heard from Elijah Miller, the director of policy in the Mayor’s Office of Economic Opportunity and Inclusion. He commended BBR members for being part of a cooperative and promoting a more just society. In a complex world, problems have complex origins, so a shift in thinking may be needed to find the solutions that will make progress possible.

Illustrating his perspective with a “bad analogy,” Elijah posed the challenge of trying to go from Boston to Providence in one hour. “What is my problem? I can say my problem is speed, and if I run there fast enough I can do it,” he said. “I'll just train and become the next Usain Bolt.” But, eventually, “I'll realize that's an impossible task,” and could simply give up. “The system I'm working with is not going to allow me to live the life that I want to live.” Giving up, however, discounts the possibility of solutions such as cars or high-speed rail.

 “We all have a bias for what we deep down think is the problem and the needed solutions,” Elijah continued. “The underlying debate is how we get to the next world that we know we need to see.”

The pressures of daily life often prevent people from focusing on how to make the larger world a better place. “A lot of people, especially young people, say the system is rigged, it'll never work,” he said. “You need to take care of your child the next day; you have to take care of a parent or grandparent.” The American Revolution, like many events precipitating great societal change, were led by the middle class—people with enough resources to think beyond daily survival.

“You discussed sustainability in your building structure, because you want to live your values,” Elijah continued. “You're living new values that are not just about squeezing out every dime of profit, but you're creating value.” When BBR members improve their homes, “you’re ultimately giving them the wealth, or the opportunity to innovate the way we live our lives.”

When people have a solid financial foundation, they feel secure enough to take risks and try new ideas that can bring prosperity for everyone, Elijah said. Financial stability gives people “room to imagine innovations, for people to build new institutions, new ways of expression, new ways of solving problems, new ways to allow people to pursue happiness.”