Embodied carbon is the next big challenge for structural engineers

The article highlights the growing importance of addressing embodied carbon in structural engineering as operational emissions decline. Embodied carbon refers to the total greenhouse gas emissions associated with a building’s materials throughout their lifecycle—from extraction and manufacturing to installation and eventual demolition. It often accounts for over half of a building’s total lifecycle emissions in the first few decades, making it a critical focus area since these emissions are largely fixed once construction materials are in place. Given that the construction industry contributes around 40% of global emissions, reducing embodied carbon early in the design process has become a priority for engineers, regulators, and clients alike. Measuring embodied carbon is complex due to inconsistent data sources and project variability, requiring lifecycle assessments (LCA) and tools such as Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs), Whole Building Life Cycle Assessment (WBLCA) software, and carbon factor databases. However, quantification challenges remain, especially for materials like engineered wood or recycled content, forcing engineers to rely on proxies and assumptions. To effectively reduce