Dear ,
Can you imagine a future where green construction is the status quo? In many ways, it won’t look much different than today. Low embodied carbon buildings will still have walls, windows, and roofs. Their structures will still withstand the elements. They’ll still be comfortable for us to occupy. And they’ll be resilient and durable enough to last for generations.
But they’ll be better.
Industrial facilities that produce construction materials will run on renewable energy, creating cleaner air for their employees and neighbors.
On job sites, zero-emissions construction equipment will operate quietly in our communities. And some sites will reuse disassembled materials from nearby buildings, reducing both new material production emissions and the tons of demolished materials that would otherwise be sent to our local landfills.
New projects will be designed for flexible use, allowing structures to adapt to occupants’ changing needs over time. And when buildings eventually reach the end of their lives, they’ll be designed for a continued cycle of disassembly and reuse, rather than destruction.
These buildings will be thoughtfully designed to meet our needs. Innovative ventilation systems, intentional building orientations, and smart placement of windows will reduce our energy demand while simultaneously reducing the need for large heating and cooling systems that slowly leak destructive pollutants throughout their lives. Efficient structural designs will allow us to build more schools, hospitals, and bridges with less material.
And when we interact with these new structures, we might even feel new sensations. Imagine a new building smelling like a walk through a forest rather than volatile organic compounds. Or imagine the look and touch of walls that remind you of natural materials found where you live.
As we work to realize that future, reducing embodied carbon creates opportunities for creativity and innovation. Every new construction project is a chance to reimagine existing structures and build imaginative new ones that are affordable and joyful to occupy. This intentional process of planning, design, and construction can help us redefine what is “normal” and make increasingly lower-carbon buildings the status quo.
For those outside the building industry, the Carbon Leadership Forum’s impact might feel invisible. The wonky world of standards development, data analysis, building design, and policy implementation may feel far removed from your daily life. But next time you walk past a construction site or step into a building, there’s a chance, whether or not you can see it, that building is part of the solution we’re helping create.
This year, CLF provided guidance to policymakers who influence roughly $320 billion in construction spending. We’re now tracking 265 global policies that address embodied carbon. Key 2025 publications like our Material Baselines and Whole Building Benchmarks have been used by thousands of building industry practitioners to measure and reduce the climate impacts of our buildings. Beyond the resources and direct support provided by CLF staff, volunteers across dozens of CLF Hubs are scaling regional action from the ground up.
Across the world, a growing community of innovators and leaders is working to reduce embodied carbon and achieve the many benefits of cleaner construction. This annual impact report offers a glimpse into how CLF and our partners are making that future a reality. It’s a celebration of what we’ve accomplished together, and I hope it’ll serve as an invitation to help us continue building toward a just and thriving future. | 
