1.3 Structure of the Report

Chapter 1

1.3

Structure of the Report

This report is organised in the same manner required for building decarbonisation. Because buildings are integrated systems, comprising many materials produced in disparate regions across the globe, there is no single strategy. Rather it is important to carefully cultivate the ability for decision-makers to take synergistic measures across multiple material sectors and at multiple stages in the lifetime of buildings. This report offers a guide to applying a “whole life-cycle approach” to the built environment sector and gives decision-makers a set of compounding strategies to apply.

LIFE CYCLE THINKING

Chapter 2 provides background on the main sources of carbon emissions from the built environment sector – embodied and operational emissions – and outlines high-level strategies for adopting a whole life-cycle approach to the built environment, particularly around embodied carbon and building material choice.

AVOID

Chapter 3 provides specific guidance for key actors about what actions should be taken in what context and along what timeline to achieve maximum decarbonisation through circular material strategies. It focuses specifically on the strategies of avoiding waste, building (with) less and improving circularity.

SHIFT

Chapter 4 considers the full implication of a revolutionary shift back towards bio-based materials – with all of the potential pitfalls and necessary technological developments that must be supported in order to successfully scale up low-carbon biomaterials while achieving net biodiversity.

IMPROVE

Chapter 5 looks carefully at the range of conventional building materials choices, their carbon impacts across their lifespans, and important technological and market shifts and trends associated with them. It focuses specifically on ways to improve their production and use (when necessary) in order to decarbonise conventional material processing.

TOOLS

Chapter 6 provides information on existing and emerging analytical tools for assessing carbon impacts across the entire building life cycle. It outlines the need for district-scale planning and global standards and labels for emission transparency.

POLICY

Chapter 7 outlines key policy recommendations to illustrate these principles in real-world scenarios.

CONCLUSION

Chapter 8 provides a brief conclusion and discussion.

Overall, the report shows that adopting a whole life-cycle strategy for decarbonizing the built environment process means: building less or building with less, incorporating circular materials strategies into new and existing buildings, designing buildings with lower lifetime operational emissions, and accelerating the use of low-carbon-intensity building materials.