A framework for carbon emissions management along the building and construction value chain

As part of the project, the first step represented the development of this scoping paper providing a better understanding of the interdependencies across the value chain for the carbon emissions (the "action" value chain) as well on who has the power to influence positive changes (the "influence" value chain. The paper includes a recommendation for a building sector carbon metric (CO2e per m2 building floor area) and explains the benefits of a whole building life carbon approach as a framework for assessing the sector. Companies will set target for their direct emissions (Scope 1 and 2 emissions), but they will be able to better understand and demonstrate their impact/contribution to reduce full life-cycle carbon emissions of a built structure (Scope 3 emissions and "beyond"). Through a material and solution-neutral assessment framework, the approach is expected to enable architects, designers, engineers, construction companies, real estate firms etc. to identify the best emissions-reduction strategies for all parts of the value chain. This is an important prerequisite for the transformation of the built environment towards decarbonization. Next steps include the collect macro-level data for the framework and assess scenarios for decarbonization, develop integration strategies for system decarbonization with companies' SBT and the development of a guidance in collaboration with SBTi.