The phenomenon of building cities has a corresponding rise in the damage to the environment, attributable to urbanization that is currently experienced across the globe. Approximately 40% of the total carbon dioxide that is released into the atmosphere on a global scale is contributed by the construction process, the highest coming from the infrastructure established in cities and its upkeep. To combat this, many cities are implementing measures aimed at reducing the construction emissions that are often referred to as ‘embodied carbon'—the t total emissions over the entire life cycle of a building. In a recent Forum in Davos World Economic Congress, which scrutinizes the subject of urban transformation, the report *Reducing Embodied Carbon in Cities: Nine Solutions for Greener Buildings and Communities* provides new and effective construction strategies focused on emission reduction in the construction industry.

The Importance of Addressing Embodied Carbon in Cities

Urban territories are on the rise. At this pace, the total floor area is forecast to increase by 2060, almost in a fashion where an entire New York City is built every month for 40 years. With such massive increases comes an imminent need for a sustainable way of building. “Cities are not only shaping but also restructuring the trajectory for sustainable development,” observes Jeff Merritt, Head of Urban Transformation at the World Economic Forum. Similar trends can be observed in countries like Los Angeles, Vancouver, and London, where even in New York, novel measures to curb emissions from construction will be implemented, ranging from new building regulations to techniques of reconstruction.

10 Solutions for Reducing Carbon Emissions in Construction

Below are the principal best practices that cities can implement with regard to construction and development that is sustainable in nature: 

Renovating Old Structures for New Utility (Adaptive Reuse) 

Instead of breaking down the old buildings, several cities have innovatively used the structures for new activities. Beverly Hills, for instance, has successfully redeveloped the *One Westside Office Campus* from an uninterested mall into a UCLA science campus with 75% of the waste from construction and demolition landfill diversion. This not only salvaged resources and their associated costs but also lessened the embodied carbon by 33% when compared to new construction. Such schemes evoke a sense of concern for the environment and offer financial return as well, if not more, through adaptive reuse.

Adopting Electric Vehicles in Construction Fleets

The construction industry is somewhat of an emission gauntlet due to the many heavy-duty vehicles deployed. In San Diego, there is already a fleet transition program that seeks to electrify around 3000 medium- and heavy-duty construction vehicles by installing 300 additional charging sites around the city. This in turn improves the situation on the transportation emissions caused by construction activities in the cities.

Establishing Marketplaces for Material Reuse

Metals such as steel, concrete, natural wood, etc. are materials that can be put back into productive use thanks to recycling; thus, less new production will be needed. One such initiative is London’s ‘*Material Reuse Portal*, which facilitates the waste exchange and encourages stakeholders in the construction business to promote reuse of construction materials. The introduction of such a system not only saves construction waste but also saves the carbon exhausted in making those materials.

Limitation of carbon emissions for newly erected structures

The city of Vancouver has imposed embodied carbon limits on all newly built structures, which compels the builders to adhere to sustainability requirements. The city has also rolled out a benchmarking tool that enables the developers to track and report the carbon impacts of their projects in a bid to ensure adherence to the target levels of emissions.

Expedited Permits for the Construction of Green Buildings

Even in the case of Seattle, incorporation of sustainable design and construction practices is encouraged through the provision of faster permits for construction projects that adhere to low carbon standards. This policy encourages many more developers to embrace green practices because, one, they would not waste their time, and two, it supports the vision of the city to be environmentally sustainable.

The Mandates for Carbon Reduction in the Public Sector

All projects that the cities are "Clean Construction Executive Order of New York City in Found President encompass several sustainable aspects, such as embodied carbon reduction construction that makes building built infrastructure to the width. This provision illustrates how the emission has to be much less where construction activities are undertaken.

Collaboration Between Cities for the Purpose of Policy Development “City Sprint”

Together with Los Angeles, the World Economic Forum held a three-day workshop that brought together 50 individuals from different sectors known as the ‘City Sprint’ event. These sprints encourage the development of policies and structures that can be adopted by cities, eradicating barriers to implementing green construction policies.

Assessment of Whole Life Cycle Environmental Impact (WLCA)

Whole Life Cycle Assessment (WLCA) was created by the G20 Global Smart Cities Alliance and C40 Cities as a model policy that seeks to make cities mindful of the carbon effects associated with the different phases of construction, usage, and demolition of structures. This model serves as a strategy on how to monitor gas emissions during the entire period of occupancy of the building. Therefore, comprehensive emissions management is proposed.

Tool kits for builders to reduce carbon emissions

The Centre for Urban Transformation provides a *Practitioner’s Guide’’ to bring the construction practices in line with the emission targets for the builders and construction professionals. This toolkit gives information and tools to private sector players in order to enable them to comply with the cities, thus encouraging the integration of the industry.

Green Financing Initiatives

To these policies, green financing comes as an important aspect. Cities, together with financial institutions, may issue green bonds and provide other sustainable projects with low-interest loans. Through the use of financial subsidies, cities avail to developers low-carbon technologies that promote changes in the construction sector that are long-term.

Expanding Sustainable Construction Through Collaboration

Harnessing the opportunities these solutions present will necessitate strong partnerships between governments, businesses, and financial systems. Cities such as Los Angeles and New York have also demonstrated how public-private partnerships (PPPs) can contribute to the growth of these initiatives. The G20 Global Smart Cities Alliance, in collaboration with Infosys, has ongoing projects aimed at the promotion of sustainable building activities globally and reiterates that to simply promote such building activities is not enough; the change must be entrenched in all relevant stakeholders.

The global momentum for low-carbon urban development

The endeavor to mitigate construction-related pollution forms an integral part of the more extensive campaign promoting sustainable cities. Initiatives such as the C40 Clean Construction Accelerator engage a network of 45 cities around the globe, with the aim of reducing embodied carbon in all new constructions and renovations by 50% by the year 2030. Cécile Faraud, Head of Clean Construction at C40 Cities, said about the meaning of the words put together, “The scale and the diversity of the actions conducted by the cities should give an assurance to any stakeholder in the sector that it is possible to reasonably invest in solutions for sustainable development.”

The World Economic Forum's construction strategies, the policy model, and the city playbook enable effective changes in construction in cities. These approaches taken together include embodied carbon and energy efficiency, making it achievable for cities to develop in a manner that is environmentally sustainable while achieving their development goals.

Building Sustainable Cities, One Project at a Time

Through these measures, municipalities can address carbon emissions within the built context and pave the way for eco-friendly building practices. Each measure—be it one spoon-fed from above, such as repurposing materials, converting transport systems to all electric, or introducing carbon budgets—conveys an urge to re-design cities for the next generation. With more and more cities modifying their building policies to consider the environment, they are also helping to effectuate a change in construction towards better, greener, and more sustainable cities.

Since more than half of the world’s population lives in cities, urbanity offers the possibility—to the urban leaders of today—to revolutionize the construction industry and build places that serve the needs of both the people and the environment.