This report was prepared by Greenbuild and GAF roofing and published in October 2022. In new construction, embodied carbon often takes center stage, as it is set by decisions made at the beginning of the building’s life cycle and cannot later be altered. Embodied carbon represents emissions from building materials and construction and typically represents 28% of global building sector emissions. The need for resilience doesn’t end with initial construction but also with operations. Using Passive Building Design is discussed. Investing in the Building Enclosure and the Impact of Building Codes as well as the cost savings and incentives for High-Performance Buildings are discussed. The challenges, opportunities, and strategies of building sustainability must be embraced as emissions continue to increase, regulatory requirements become increasingly stringent, and economic incentives continue to diversify.

Keywords: Architecture/Engineering, Building Retrofits, Climate Change, Protocols/Standards, Embodied Carbon, GAF, Resilience, Greenbuild