Develop policies and requirements to assess and reduce embodied carbon and improve climate resilience in new buildings, beginning with reporting requirements
(Full action name in the CCAS)4. Healthy Zero-Carbon Buildings / 4.1. Avoid carbon pollution and improve energy efficiency and resilience to climate impact... / B1. Update City policies and bylaws for new construction to rapidly phase out operational... /
B1.7Reduce embodied carbon and improve resilience in new buildings
Progress
- Not started
- Planning
- Implementation
- Completed
Official description
Description
Globally, emissions from buildings account for 40% of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions with 11% being attributed to materials and construction. These emissions, known as embodied carbon, are generated from the extraction, transportation, manufacturing, construction and disposal of building materials. With the transition to low carbon mechanical systems reducing operational emissions from buildings, the role of embodied carbon in building emissions is becoming increasingly significant.
In many cases, low carbon alternatives exist for building materials, including sustainably-sourced mass timber. As an emerging area of policy and practice, more work is needed to determine how the City can best encourage and incentivize low carbon building materials.
In addition to addressing operational and embodied carbon in buildings, we also need to prepare buildings for heat waves and smokey air, events that are becoming more common due to climate change. Passive and active cooling, alongside enhance air filtration, can ensure new buildings are able to maintain safe and comfortable indoor conditions today and in the future. The City will need to explore how best to encourage and require these climate-resiliency measures, in coordination with provincial standards.