Rapid decarbonization of the U.S. industrial and building sectors is essential to meet the emissions reductions required for a 1.5°C-aligned future. With limited time and mounting pushback, prioritizing the highest-impact strategies is critical.

Today, CLF—alongside RMI and the UW Life Cycle Lab—releases Embodied Carbon Pathways to 2050 for the United States, the most comprehensive analysis to date on the future of US embodied carbon.

It includes: (1) business-as-usual emissions and material quantity projections through 2050 for 30 key materials, (2) 1.5°C-aligned embodied carbon intensity targets for buildings, and (3) key strategies and policies to meet those targets.

The report identifies a broad set of existing and emerging solutions with immediate potential. Cement and clinker substitution shows the highest economy-wide impact. Design approaches like structural optimization and material substitution—supported by strong building-level targets in codes and policies —also offer major reductions. Achieving US 1.5°C-aligned targets will also require manufacturing facilities to increase adoption of energy efficiency, low-carbon electricity, and carbon capture technologies and strategies.

The analysis reveals that everyone in CLF’s network has a role to play: changes in manufacturing, design, and procurement supported by private and public sector policies and incentives are all key to accelerating this transition to a lower carbon construction sector.

The embodied carbon of key construction materials used in buildings and infrastructure in the United States is significant and requires deployment of a large range of strategies. While challenges remain, existing technologies and strategies can deliver meaningful reductions in the near term. Success will depend on rapid policy action, cross-sector collaboration, and sustained investment in both proven and emerging solutions.

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• Washington Council Reviews Carbon Reduction Proposals for Building Codes
• Meta Replaces Steel, Concrete with Wood to Cut Data Center Carbon Footprint
• This Massachusetts Town Banned Gas — and Housing Boomed Anyway
• California Halts Building Code Updates in a Blow to Electrification

In this webinar, the authors will present an overview of the project and walk through the report’s methods and results, highlighting significant updates compared to previous versions. CLF staff will be available to respond to audience questions.

[You can watch the recording of the 2023 CLF Material Baselines webinar for additional background.] 

Come connect with:

• Regenerative builders
• Homesteaders & off-grid dwellers
• Architects & code changers
• Educators & trade instructors
• Curious learners of all ages

From breakfasts/lunches to keynotes to hands-on demos, every moment is an opportunity to build relationships as well as walls.

Über das Carbon Leadership Forum

Wer wir sind

• The Carbon Leadership Forum accelerates transformation of the building sector to radically reduce the embodied carbon in building materials and construction.
• We pioneer research, create resources, foster cross-sector collaboration, and incubate member-led initiatives to bring embodied carbon emissions of buildings down to zero.
• We are architects, engineers, contractors, material suppliers, building owners, and policymakers who care about the future and take bold steps to eliminate embodied carbon from buildings and infrastructure.

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