Resources Listing
Discover practical tools, reports, and guidance to help advance climate action in your community. Browse resources from the Peer Networks and partner organizations, all available to the public.
Policy Primer: Regulating Embodied Emissions of Buildings
The primer includes background information on embodied emissions (also called embodied carbon), benchmarks from 41 large buildings across Ontario, proposed reduction targets, and policy recommendations with sample language and reporting templates. It also notes several knowledge gaps and barriers the industry will need to overcome to effectively reduce embodied emissions in the years ahead -…
Green Buildings Policy
The City of Vancouver’s Green Building Policy introduces requirements to report embodied emissions associated with the construction of a building via a Life Cycle Assessment (LCA). Starting in July 2023, they will introduce an embodied carbon reporting requirement for all new Part 3 buildings, and a limit of maximum 2x the standardized baseline.
City of Langford’s Low Carbon Concrete Policy Announcement
News release from November 2021, when the City of Langford became the first jurisdiction in Canada to adopt a low-carbon concrete policy.
Big Move 4: Build Zero Emission Buildings
The Resort Municipality of Whistler has set a target to have all new buildings achieve the top step in B.C.’s Energy Step Code, use only low-carbon heating systems, and reduce embodied carbon emissions by 40 per cent by 2030.
Embodied Carbon Pilot
How can we estimate embodied carbon in buildings to achieve GHG emissions reduction targets? This project identifies challenges and solutions for enabling more effective use of life cycle assessment (LCA) and benchmarking to drive embodied emission cutbacks.
Assessing the Embodied Emissions of Building to the Energy Step Code
This report summarizes the findings of the City of Richmond’s research on the effect of Operational and Embodied Emissions for Step Code homes (supported by the UBC Sustainability Scholars program).
Low Carbon Buildings
A collection of resources on low-carbon building materials from the City of Nelson as a part of their low-carbon homes pilot.
Concrete Climate Ideas: Girl Scouts Talk Building Materials and Embodied Carbon
Girl Scout Troops 1477 and 1952 of the Wisconsin Badgerland Council decided they wanted to do a project to raise awareness about solutions to climate change. After looking into the biggest contributors to global warming, they were surprised to discover that embodied carbon of materials, especially concrete production, was a major factor. The Girl Scouts…
Embodied Carbon Policy Educational Series
The Embodied Carbon Policy Educational Series is a resource designed to empower Carbon Leadership Forum Regional Hubs to play a role as local knowledge leaders related to embodied carbon policy opportunities and to inspire regional discussions on policy. The series was designed for the CLF Regional Hubs to use to host educational events around embodied…
Embodied Carbon in the Built Environment – A Primer
Summary of key resources, metrics, and actions to address embodied carbon in design and construction. Focused more on process than specific guidance.