Embodied Carbon: A primer for buildings in Canada

This document provides the building sector with the information needed to understand embodied carbon and address it in new and existing buildings. Canada’s building sector can already design buildings that operate without operational carbon emissions and several examples exist from the Canada Green Building Council’s (CAGBC) Zero Carbon Building Program. However, addressing embodied carbon is a significant challenge, and more work remains.

Latest News

CAGBC responds to Ontario’s Bill 98

The Canada Green Building Council (CAGBC) recognizes the urgent need to expand housing…
April 7, 2026

Decarbonization is reshaping Canada’s green building sector

Decarbonization is no longer a niche priority in Canada’s building economy: it’s becoming…
March 31, 2026

Get practical guidance for transition planning  

As Canada advances toward more resilient, energy efficient buildings, existing buildings will require…
March 31, 2026

What’s next for Canada’s buildings is happening here, now.

Expert-led discussions are the cornerstone of the Building Lasting Change (BLC) conference experience, and…
March 27, 2026

Latest Reports

Unlocking the Value of Green Building

Unlocking the Value of Green Building is a roadmap for decision-makers seeking actionable…
March 31, 2025

Market Primer: Carbon Capture and Utilization in Cementitious Building Materials

Concrete and cement materials have been specifically identified as building materials of interest,…
March 31, 2025

Rapidly Scaling Canada’s Deep Retrofit Market

Stakeholder Insights into Barriers and Opportunities Despite significant progress in recent years, industry…
March 3, 2025

Reducing Embodied Carbon in Canada’s Buildings

The inaugural National Embodied Carbon Summit, hosted by the Canada Green Building Council…
February 27, 2025