Almost half of a building’s emissions are hidden, embodied in the processes of extraction, manufacturing, transportation, construction, maintenance, retrofitting, demolition and end-of-life treatment. Reducing the impacts of construction and the emissions associated with it will require a significant shift in business-as-usual construction practices.

Cities can act boldly and swiftly by starting with municipal projects, where they have most control. In addition to driving down emissions from municipal projects, this will send a strong demand signal and demonstrate the viability of alternative technologies and business models, accelerating change in the private sector. This is how cities can lower the embodied emissions of municipal projects.