The role of lower-carbon materials & carbon transparency in construction

The European construction sector must cut its carbon footprint and meet Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) and regional sustainability goals. Matt Redding, Gensler’s European Sustainability Lead, stresses the need for simpler life-cycle assessments (LCAs). He recommends focusing on key questions like a project’s environmental impact and material carbon values to drive carbon reductions effectively.

Shifting focus toward embodied carbon 

Embodied carbon — emissions from producing, transporting, and installing building materials — makes up a large share of global emissions. Addressing this requires collaboration across the supply chain, from material choices to design and construction. Matt highlights that while operational carbon has been the focus, reducing embodied carbon is now essential for a low-carbon future.

Why carbon transparency matters

Carbon transparency is essential to reducing embodied emissions. Builders, architects, and developers must understand the carbon profiles of materials to make informed decisions. Environmental product declarations (EPDs) offer reliable data to assess material impacts, allowing project teams to compare and select low-carbon options effectively.

Matt advises professionals to engage suppliers with targeted questions about carbon footprints and demand transparency from manufacturers. Clear, comparable data ensures sustainable material choices across the industry.

The role of sustainable materials in future-ready design

Lower-carbon materials are reshaping construction. Options like carbon-storing timber, recycled steel, and low-carbon concrete allow architects and engineers to design buildings with lower emissions.

Matt highlights the importance of considering materials' end-of-life use. Designing for reuse and recyclability extends material lifespans, reduces waste, and supports a circular economy for a more sustainable future.

Collaboration is key to reducing carbon in construction

Matt explains that collaboration is key to reducing carbon in construction, as no single entity can solve the industry's environmental challenges. At Gensler, working with designers, clients, contractors, and manufacturers ensures that sustainability is integrated at every project phase. Peer reviews support this process by promoting accuracy, accountability, and knowledge-sharing, helping to raise industry standards.

Integrating LCAs into all projects and fostering collaboration helps firms build a reliable data portfolio. As regulations tighten and clients demand transparency, a strong internal knowledge base becomes essential. Matt also stresses the need for better alignment between policy and practice, urging clear guidelines and incentives from governments and industry bodies to drive carbon reduction and industry-wide progress.

Fostering skills for sustainable decision-making

How One Click LCA supports carbon transparency

One Click LCA is the world’s leading end-to-end sustainability software platform — offering easy-to-use, automated life cycle assessment (LCA) and environmental product declaration solutions. The all-in-one LCA software enables you to conduct thorough assessments of your construction projects, providing precise data on the carbon footprint of materials and processes throughout the project lifecycle.

Additionally, the Materials Compass allows you to effortlessly compare and select sustainable building materials, ensuring that your material choices are aligned with your decarbonization objectives. Together, these tools make it simple to integrate sustainability into every stage of your construction projects, driving significant carbon reductions.