KANSAS CITY, Mo.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--BranchPattern, a national sustainability and engineering firm, has released its highly anticipated 2024 Embodied Carbon Benchmark Study – Version 2, offering new insights and data into the embodied carbon emissions of industrial real estate in the U.S. The updated study expands on the original research to include data from 94 projects from across the country, produced by market-defining developers, and provides a clearer understanding of how the sector can reduce its environmental impact through improved practices.
Embodied carbon — the emissions from materials and construction processes — accounts for a significant portion of global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, making it an essential target for industries striving for decarbonization. These emissions account for 11% of global GHG emissions, with the majority occurring in the first year of a building's life. This underscores the growing urgency for the real estate sector to prioritize embodied carbon reduction as a critical element of its sustainability goals.
In partnership with ten leading industrial real estate developers — including Affinius Capital, Ambrose, Bridge Industrial, Brookfield Properties, Hillwood, IDI Logistics, Link Logistics, Oxford Properties, Prologis, and WPT Capital Advisors — the study evaluates the key contributors to embodied carbon and effective strategies for mitigation.
- The Version 2 study reveals that the average embodied carbon intensity (ECI) of U.S. industrial core and shell buildings, excluding site work, decreased from 23 kg CO2e/ft² to 22 kg CO2e/ft² in the past year across an expanded dataset, reflecting progress and greater attention on embodied carbon from developers, designers, and manufacturers. This progress presents a notable opportunity to align the sector with global climate goals such as those laid out by the Science Based Targets Initiative (SBTi) and the Paris Agreement.
- The report includes a quantified analysis of embodied carbon contributors across various construction materials, processes, and all phases of the building lifecycle, revealing primary emission sources like the use of concrete and the site pavement process. To guide industry stakeholders who are committed to reducing their projects’ embodied carbon footprint, BranchPattern outlines best practices such as targeted material selection and sustainably-minded design innovations.
- In addition, the new study incorporated the impacts of site work on GHG emissions, an expansion of industry-standard methodology that proved to be significant. When site work was incorporated in the 2024 version, the average embodied carbon intensity increased to 32.1 kg CO2e/ft². The additional 10.1 kg CO2e/ft² is attributed to a variety of factors detailed in the study and predominantly is accounted for by site paving, which is outside the scope of typical Whole Building Life Cycle Assessments.
"In the rapidly evolving landscape of sustainable design and construction, the spotlight on carbon reduction has never been brighter. As we navigate the challenges of a changing climate, the need for a comprehensive understanding of carbon emissions in the built environment is paramount. At BranchPattern, we are crafting a sustainable future for all by redefining the way we approach and redress the carbon balance in the built environment,” said Kristy Walson, Principal at BranchPattern.
Until now, most available data on embodied carbon has been focused on office and multi-family sectors. By expanding the scope to industrial buildings, both the initial and new iterations of the study provide critical data for one of the fastest-growing sectors in real estate. The latest findings encourage developers, material suppliers, and contractors to make more informed decisions about the materials and construction methods used to achieve substantial reductions in embodied carbon emissions.
In addition to enhanced benchmarks, the study provides a deeper analysis of the methodology the industry should use to measure embodied carbon, and outlines attainable reduction strategies being deployed, emphasizing a collaborative, transparent approach to reducing GHG emissions. This approach not only supports global sustainability goals but also provides a clear roadmap for the U.S. industrial real estate sector to align with global decarbonization efforts.
With the release of this 2024 Benchmark Study, BranchPattern is reinforcing the crucial role that embodied carbon reduction will play in the future of industrial real estate. By providing actionable insights and measurable benchmarks, the study sets the stage for industry-wide adoption of sustainability practices that will help reduce carbon footprints and contribute to global efforts to combat climate change.
Link to report (also hyperlinked above): https://www.branchpattern.com/white-papers/industrial-embodied-carbon-benchmark
About BranchPattern
BranchPattern is a building consultancy dedicated to creating Better Built Environments®. Our team consists of Professional Engineers, Registered Architects and Building Scientists that focus on implementing programs and solutions to optimize human experience and environmental stewardship. The firm provides broad expertise to support the sustainability goals of the Commercial Real Estate Industry throughout North America, South America and Europe.
For more information, please visit www.branchpattern.com.
