Skanska to Invest in Embodied Carbon Assessments on Projects of 53,000 SF

Skanska USA Building will invest in initial embodied carbon assessments on every new construction project of more than 53,000 square feet using the Embodied Carbon in Construction Calculator (EC3), a product co-created by Skanska with industry partners. Since 2019, Skanska USA has been piloting EC3 in partnership with Skanska Commercial Development in the United States and this expands on the success of this pilot initiative.

“Customers have the power to positively affect the supply chain if they choose to invest in full or partial materials tracking and reporting,” said Paul Hewins, president and CEO, Skanska USA Building in Seattle.

Use of the EC3 tool in the last two years has shown that a 30 percent reduction in embodied carbon is typically achievable for little or no cost. Recently Skanska partnered with the Rocky Mountain Institute on a study that produced similar results.

The built environment accounts for 40 percent of annual carbon emissions worldwide. Embodied carbon encompasses the extraction, transportation and manufacture of materials that go into the finished project, whereas operational carbon includes the fuel and electricity use during the building’s lifetime. While buildings can continually improve operational efficiency, decisions associated with embodied carbon are permanent.

“Investing in lifecycle carbon assessments for projects of this size is further evidence of Skanska’s industry-leading commitment, thought leadership and absolute carbon reduction innovations,” adds Hewins.