Reducing embodied carbon emissions of buildings – a key consideration to meet the net zero target

Abstract

The prevalence of modern techniques and industrialized materials has resulted in environmental contamination. Therefore, prioritizing the use of sustainable materials with minimal CO2 emissions should be the fundamental principle guiding future developments in construction projects. Rammed earth construction, a traditional method in Latin America, is valued for its sustainable, environmentally friendly properties. The research examines integrating Building Information Modeling (BIM) and Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) in Colombia, a region with limited exploration of BIM-LCA interoperability on earth-based materials. This study applies LCA (Cradle-to-Gate) to assess material use, and transportation, aiming to reduce construction carbon emissions. This study compares the traditional and Sustainable building environmental impacts through the BIM (using Autodesk Revit) and carbon footpring. Findings show that BIM-based models with traditional materials have significantly higher carbon footprints (171.93 kg CO2 eq per square meter) than sustainable models (62.25 kg CO2 eq per square meter). This research highlights the importance of low carbon materials for the carbon reduction to meet net zero target in construction industry.

Keywords

• Building information modeling
• Life cycle assessment
• Rammed earth architecture
• Embodied carbon
• Carbon footprint
• Latin America