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

NECB 2020 recognized as alternative path in LEED v5

Canada’s National Energy Code for Buildings (NECB) has been recognized as a valid path for…
May 13, 2026

Renewed momentum at Green Building Day on the Hill  

On May 5, CAGBC brought together industry leaders, public servants, and parliamentarians in…
May 7, 2026

CAGBC Reaction to the Spring Economic Update 2026

The Canada Green Building Council (CAGBC) welcomes key elements of the federal government’s…
May 1, 2026

Certified projects – April 2026

Congratulations to the following certified projects. For more information on the projects listed…
April 30, 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