{"id":674612,"date":"2022-09-30T08:16:37","date_gmt":"2022-09-30T07:16:37","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.architectsjournal.co.uk\/?p=674612"},"modified":"2022-09-30T10:17:16","modified_gmt":"2022-09-30T09:17:16","slug":"government-exploring-introduction-of-embodied-carbon-targets","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.architectsjournal.co.uk\/news\/government-exploring-introduction-of-embodied-carbon-targets","title":{"rendered":"Government \u2018exploring\u2019 introduction of embodied carbon targets"},"content":{"rendered":"

While it set tightened targets for operational carbon emissions last year<\/a>, the UK is still yet to officially monitor or regulate embodied emissions, which are created during the mining, production and transportation of building material, as well as construction activity onsite.<\/p>\n

The government has now said it will \u2018explore\u2019 whether embodied carbon targets should be set \u2013 but warned that it will first require \u2018a robust evidence base\u2019 of \u2018the current baseline\u2019 of embodied carbon emissions and what potential there is for decarbonisation.<\/p>\n

\u2018We believe that current targets proposed by industry are based on a small sample size and limited building typologies,\u2019 it said. \u2018To set targets across all new buildings, a much greater evidence base will be needed to ensure targets are realistic, achievable, and drive all parts of the industry towards our net zero goals.\u2019<\/p>\n

The government has vowed to consult on policy initiatives to reduce embodied carbon in construction in 2023. It has said that these could include \u2018ratcheted carbon targets\u2019 \u2013 limits for maximum embodied carbon emissions which reduce over time.<\/p>\n

The nascent plans have been outlined in the government\u2019s response to an Environmental Audit Committee (EAC) report, published in May<\/a>, which criticised the government\u2019s inaction on embodied carbon and made recommendations relating to all three policy areas addressed by the AJ\u2019s RetroFirst campaign<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Elsewhere in its 29-page response, the government acknowledged that whole-life carbon assessments \u2018are likely to have a significant role\u2019 in lowering embodied emissions and said that it would consider whether to mandate whole-life carbon assessments for developments of a certain size.<\/p>\n

It also agreed with the EAC that \u2018to consistently assess embodied carbon at a building-level, a standardised method of calculation is required\u2019, and pledged to look at whether \u2018endorsement of specific standards, methodologies or tools for assessing whole-life carbon is appropriate\u2019.<\/p>\n

The government said it would review the National Planning Policy Framework to \u2018ensure it contributes to climate change mitigation and adaption as fully as possible\u2019, and outlined ongoing work to reduce embodied carbon emissions from building materials.<\/p>\n

This includes encouraging manufacturers to monitor and disclose the embedded carbon in their products, working with steel and scrap suppliers to scope out the potential for an improved recycled steel market, as well as making plans to increase domestic timber supply.<\/p>\n

The government is also taking part in an international Industrial Deep Decarbonisation Initiative, which aims to create new markets for low carbon industrial and construction materials with harmonisation of product-level embodied carbon disclosure.<\/p>\n

The scheme would also see its members, which include India, Canada and Germany, agree carbon limits for steel and cement inputs into public construction projects and undertake whole-life carbon reporting for all public work.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

While it set tightened targets for operational carbon emissions last year, the UK is still yet to officially monitor or regulate embodied emissions, which are created during the mining, production and transportation of building material, as well as construction activity onsite. The government has now said it will \u2018explore\u2019 whether embodied carbon targets should be …<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":72402,"featured_media":640448,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_oasis_is_in_workflow":0,"_oasis_original":0,"ep_exclude_from_search":false},"categories":[681],"tags":[3210,76948,5950],"yoast_head":"\nGovernment \u2018exploring\u2019 introduction of embodied carbon targets<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"The government has said it will consider setting \u2018a maximum embodied carbon level for new buildings in the future\u2019\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.architectsjournal.co.uk\/news\/government-exploring-introduction-of-embodied-carbon-targets\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_GB\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" 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