A new report driven by the UN Environment Programme (UNEP) and Yale University's newly-formed Yale Center for Ecosystems + Architecture (Yale CEA) has recommended drastic reductions in the industry’s use of certain construction materials as it faces the environmental headwinds of sector-wide change.

While heeding a "back-to-the-future revolution" in methods and products/technologies used for building, the authors say the worldwide growth of urbanization has necessitated an overabundance of new buildings constructed using an unacceptable amount of concrete and other harmful materials. The findings of the report suggest the efficacy of reusing existing buildings at a larger scale while at the same time concentrating more resources toward the production of adequate alternatives in addition to adopting a "circular economy" and policies that help to curb the industry's 37% share of global emissions. 

Where the report recommends a three-pronged solution toward reducing embodied concrete emissions in a culturally sensitive way, authors argue for an improved whole life-cycle approach to building that’s undertaken more actively by governments and lawmakers.

"These findings show that it is critical that policymakers support stakeholders across the lifecycle of the building material supply chain to plan and design for circular, regenerative materials. Improved access to transparent data and tools is key at every step, with fair legislation to ensure compliance on a level playing field," lead author and Yale CEA Founding Director Anna Dyson summarized via email. 

Case studies from Canada, Finland, Ghana, Guatemala, India, Peru, and Senegal are included. Authors also referenced the UN Secretary-General's appeal for change in the cement industry by 2050. The full, 138-page report can be downloaded here.