Building decarbonization guide
Design strategies for reaching net zero at each stage in the building lifecycle
Product
construction
maintain and use
end of life
beyond the lifecycle
Model embodied carbon and building performance in early design stages.
Challenged to decarbonize your buildings but not sure where to invest to make the greatest impact? Decarbonization can take place at any point in the building’s life, from its inception to reuse. Each lifecycle stage offers building owners a different set of strategies to reduce emissions.
Navigate through building lifecycle stages in a new building (left) or an existing building (right), and explore the opportunities in our building decarbonization guide.
Product
Design a high-performance, highly insulated building using passive house principles.
Choose materials that require less carbon to manufacture and transport.
construction
beyond the lifecycle
end of life
maintain and use
Product
Design
Read More
Contact Us
Stage
strategy
beyond the lifecycle
end of life
maintain and use
construction
Product
Contact Us
Read More
Reuse steel frame and concrete foundations from existing buildings.
Construct with modular and prefabricated components.
Contractors can reduce on-site emission through beneficial electrification and prefabricated components. Prefabricated components and modular construction techniques can reduce construction time, eliminate waste, and help achieve a tighter building envelope. Incorporate alternatives like carbon-injected concrete.
Build
Construction
Stage
strategy
Contact Us
Read More
Upgrade HVAC systems, insulation, and building envelope. Employ rooftop greywater collection and reuse.
Capture waste heat and use it.
Reduce building energy use with occupancy sensors for lighting and radiant heating systems.
First, retrofit existing buildings with better insulation, a tighter envelope, and more efficient systems to reduce operational energy needs. Engineer systems to capture waste heat and use it. Then look to renewable energy sources such as onsite geothermal and solar with battery storage, or offsite sources (wind, solar, hydro). Finally, reduce energy use with automation, real-time data, and responsible occupant behavior.
Retrofit
Maintain and Use
Stage
strategy
Contact Us
Read More
Recycle wood, drywall, windows, and insulation if possible.
Reuse elements from demolition in new building.
Reuse steel structure or concrete foundation.
At the end of its useful life, a building is ripe for recycling and reuse. The best components for reuse in a new building are the steel frame and concrete foundation, which account for significant embodied carbon. Materials such as timber, drywall, brick, glass, and insulation are all eligible for recycling.
Reuse
End of Life
Stage
strategy
Contact Us
Read More
Adapt existing buildings to new uses.
Reuse the building's flexible structure or modular components.
Repurpose building elements and discarded materials in a new building or in the recycled materials stream.
To truly decarbonize, we need to give building materials an afterlife as part of a circular economy. Ideally, the industry reuses the building’s primary materials like cement, steel, aluminum, plastics, glass, and gypsum elsewhere. Alternatively, a building’s modular components can be swapped into new buildings, extending their life.
Circular Economy
Beyond the Lifecycle
Stage
strategy
A guide to building decarbonization
Read more about decarbonization strategy.
Talk to us about building materials.
Our materials choices determine the carbon invested in the project. To decarbonize in the early stages of design, model concepts and precisely estimate their embodied carbon bill and adjust. Whenever possible, reuse parts of existing buildings, such as foundations. Choose lower carbon structural and interior materials. To reduce day-to-day energy use, employ passive strategies, like passive house. Right-size your systems for heating, cooling, and lighting.
Read more about modular construction.
Talk to us about modular design.
Read more about retrofitting.
Talk to us about carbon retrofits.
Read more about building reuse.
Talk to us about adaptive reuse.
Read more about the circular economy.
Talk to us about net zero buildings.
Our materials choices determine project carbon emissions. To decarbonize in the early stages of design, model concepts to estimate their associated embodied carbon footprint and adjust. Whenever possible, reuse parts of existing buildings, such as foundations or structural infrastructure. Choose lower carbon structural and interior materials. Design for end-of-life deconstruction and system reuse. To reduce day-to-day energy use, employ passive efficiency strategies, such as solar energy management and efficient exterior walls. Invest in efficient exterior systems to reduce your interior heating, cooling, and lighting demands.
Plan for and implement beneficial electrification.
Design with lower carbon or carbon sequestering alternative materials like mass timber.
Build with lower carbon or carbon sequestering materials.
New Building
Existing Building
New Building
Existing Building
New Building
Existing Building
New Building
Existing Building
New Building
Existing Building