Abstract
The building and construction sector is one of the main sectors contributing to carbon emissions around the globe. Current emission reduction initiatives in the building and construction industry have largely lowered the share of operational carbon (OC) emissions in the project’s life cycle emissions. Achieving embodied carbon (EC) emission reductions is essential for decarbonising the sector. This study adopts a comprehensive literature review and expert interviews with key industry practitioners to identify the barriers to lowering EC emissions in the building and construction sector and to propose strategies and actions to overcome the identified barriers and further facilitate the uptake of EC considerations. The results show that the barriers fall under four categories, organisational, financial, regulatory and policy, and methodological and data availability. The study proposes the following strategies for lowering EC emissions: (1) embedding carbon reduction targets into an organisation’s strategy, (2) implementing regulations and policies, (3) integrating digital technologies for EC assessment, (4) encouraging cross-disciplinary coordination, (5) building capacity and capability, and (6) encouraging R&D initiatives. The study provides important insights into the strategies to be adopted to reduce EC emissions. Finally, an evidence-based framework is proposed to offer useful references for professionals and decision-makers in the building and construction sector when planning and implementing EC reduction strategies. Graphical Abstract