Policy guidance

Decarbonizing construction

Guidance for investors and developers to reduce embodied carbon

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This report, written by One Click LCA on behalf of the World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD), provides over 50 actionable policies to reduce embodied carbon.

Developers and investors have a unique opportunity to shape demand and drive transformation at the early stages of building projects. This report gathers over 50 embodied carbon-reduction policies and best practices that can be incorporated into projects, as well as practical guidance on how to use them.

Each measure is grouped into one of the following five categories:

Create a carbon policy that sets out consistent requirements for all projects to follow.
Set targets and transparency requirements for projects to meet across all their phases.
Prioritize circularity – that is, less new building and more reuse and refurbishment.
Design optimization to use less material and to choose materials with a low carbon footprint.
Low-carbon procurement to ensure use of materials with a low carbon footprint