European mayors pledge sustainable rebuilding of Ukrainian cities

Mayors from European cities travelled to Kyiv on Friday 19 August to sign a political agreement to support the sustainable rebuilding of Ukrainian cities. The accord outlines plans to match rebuilding needs in Ukraine with capabilities of other European cities. The pact is backed by the city network, Eurocities, and signed by Ukraine’s Congress of … Continue reading European mayors pledge sustainable rebuilding of Ukrainian cities

Building materials have a heavy carbon footprint and present a concrete challenge to the climate

We need to rethink the way we construct our buildings in order to reduce embodied carbon. The strategies to reduce embodied carbon already exist – from building smarter to decarbonising building materials. To shine a light on these solutions, the Programme for Energy Efficiency in Buildings (PEEB) recently published a working paper presenting key facts … Continue reading Building materials have a heavy carbon footprint and present a concrete challenge to the climate

If the cement industry were a country its yearly pollution would only be topped by the US and China

The cement and concrete industry is one of the most neglected in the fight against climate change. It's responsible for about 8% of global carbon dioxide emissions, more than double those from flying or shipping. In an article on the Deutsche Welle website, Ajit Niranjan discusses the options to reduce the sector’s carbon footprint.   … Continue reading If the cement industry were a country its yearly pollution would only be topped by the US and China

The construction sector is a major GHG emitter, so what can the industry do to cut CO2?

Millions of homes will need to be built for booming city populations in the coming decades. There are major challenges to minimise environmental damage and meet long-term energy and climate objectives. Some argue that tackling the climate crisis and meeting housing demands in cities will require a rethink of how space is used.  Natalie Muller … Continue reading The construction sector is a major GHG emitter, so what can the industry do to cut CO2?

New BPIE report: climate impact of new buildings much too high

This week, the Buildings Performance Institute Europe (BPIE) published a new report on nearly zero energy building standards in six member states that show decarbonisation of new buildings in is not happening fast enough. A failure to decarbonise newly constructed buildings could prevent the EU from achieving its climate targets for 2030 and 2050, according … Continue reading New BPIE report: climate impact of new buildings much too high

Blog from Jane Marsh: How Does Low Carbon Housing Benefit the Environment?

The U.S. generates 5.1 billion metric tons of carbon dioxide each year, which come from activities like powering appliances or heating your home. In addition, carbon is released when building materials, such as concrete, are manufactured. The overproduction of carbon can lead to air pollution and increase global warming. These emissions also disturb natural habitats … Continue reading Blog from Jane Marsh: How Does Low Carbon Housing Benefit the Environment?

Not taking embodied emissions in buildings into account could mean overshooting carbon emissions targets by several decades

Ljubomir Jankovic, Professor of Advanced Building Design at the University of Hertfordshire, in an article on The Conversation website, discusses the importance of accounting for embodied carbon in buildings if we are to fully come to grips with net zero emissions.   Embodied carbon: why truly net zero buildings could still be decades away Carbon dioxide … Continue reading Not taking embodied emissions in buildings into account could mean overshooting carbon emissions targets by several decades

Cutting carbon emissions from construction

Building sites produce emissions and air pollution. Cities, developers and construction machinery manufacturers are looking for ways to clean them up. Chermaine Lee discusses in an article on the Deutsche Welle website.   Green construction: Creating emissions-free building sites The dust, smell, noise and heat from Hong Kong's many construction sites are often "unbearable" for … Continue reading Cutting carbon emissions from construction