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January 1, 1970

Carbon Companions

With progress finally being made toward reducing carbon emissions in the operation of buildings, building-sector professionals are turning their attention to the footprint of the construction process itself. “Embodied carbon” quantifies the effect of the manufacture, maintenance, and end-of-life treatment of every product and material during the construction and life of a building. Databases and […]

By: Bridget Newsham

Accsys Accoya Wood – By sequestering carbon as trees grow, wood typically makes an excellent low-carbon construction material, but it has limitations. Accsys utilizes a process called acetylation, which prevents rot by replacing the part of wood that readily bonds with water with more durable, naturally occurring acetyl groups. This enables the use of Accoya in damp environments and in applications typically reserved for treated timbers with higher embodied carbon—in windows, landscaping, and cladding. Courtesy Accsys Accoya Wood

With progress finally being made toward reducing carbon emissions in the operation of buildings, building-sector professionals are turning their attention to the footprint of the construction process itself. “Embodied carbon” quantifies the effect of the manufacture, maintenance, and end-of-life treatment of every product and material during the construction and life of a building.

Databases and tools such as the Embodied Carbon in Construction Calculator, which launched at Greenbuild International Conference and Expo this year, now allow designers to understand products’ carbon credentials. Here are a few materials that perform well in this regard.

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