{"id":4200,"date":"2026-06-28T11:30:26","date_gmt":"2026-06-28T11:30:26","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/archigist.com\/?p=4200"},"modified":"2026-06-28T11:30:26","modified_gmt":"2026-06-28T11:30:26","slug":"embodied-carbon-ranking-of-construction-materials-highest-to-lowest","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/archgist.com\/?p=4200","title":{"rendered":"Embodied Carbon Ranking of Construction Materials (Highest to Lowest)"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<h1 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><\/h1>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table\"><table class=\"has-fixed-layout\"><tbody><tr><th>Rank<\/th><th>Material<\/th><th>Typical Embodied Carbon (kg CO\u2082e\/kg)<\/th><\/tr><tr><td>1<\/td><td>Primary Aluminium<\/td><td>8\u201318<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>2<\/td><td>Stainless Steel<\/td><td>5\u20137<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>3<\/td><td>Carbon Steel<\/td><td>1.7\u20132.8<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>4<\/td><td>Plastics<\/td><td>2\u20136<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>5<\/td><td>Portland Cement<\/td><td>0.75\u20130.95<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>6<\/td><td>Glass<\/td><td>0.8\u20131.5<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>7<\/td><td>Fired Clay Brick<\/td><td>0.20\u20130.45<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>8<\/td><td>Gypsum Board<\/td><td>0.20\u20130.35<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>9<\/td><td>Concrete<\/td><td>0.08\u20130.20<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>10<\/td><td>Natural Stone<\/td><td>0.05\u20130.20<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>11<\/td><td>Engineered Timber<\/td><td>0.05\u20130.15<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>12<\/td><td>Solid Timber<\/td><td>0.02\u20130.10<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">How to calculate embodied carbon emissions<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Embodied carbon is in essence the carbon footprint of a material, or cumulatively, a building. To calculate these emissions,&nbsp;<strong>multiply the quantity of the material<\/strong>&nbsp;(e.g. steel or concrete)&nbsp;<strong>by its carbon factor<\/strong>&nbsp;\u2013 the amount of carbon released in the creation\/production of the material up to this point.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Reference: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ube.ac.uk\/whats-happening\/articles\/what-is-embodied-carbon\/\" title=\"\">What is embodied carbon (and what can we do about it)?<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">1. Aluminium \u2014 Highest Embodied Carbon<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Typical Embodied Carbon:<\/strong> <strong>8\u201318 kg CO\u2082e\/kg<\/strong> (Primary Aluminium)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Primary aluminium consistently ranks as the most carbon-intensive mainstream construction material because of its energy-intensive electrolysis process.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Key Findings<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Extremely high electricity demand during smelting.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Carbon footprint varies significantly depending on electricity source.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Hydropower-based production can reduce emissions substantially.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Recycled aluminium lowers embodied carbon by nearly 90\u201395%.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Best Applications<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Curtain walls<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Window framing<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Architectural facades<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>References<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/circularecology.com\/embodied-carbon-footprint-database.html\">https:\/\/circularecology.com\/embodied-carbon-footprint-database.html<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.buildingtransparency.org\/tools\/ec3\/\">https:\/\/www.buildingtransparency.org\/tools\/ec3\/<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/carbonleadershipforum.org\/ec3-tool\/\">https:\/\/carbonleadershipforum.org\/ec3-tool\/<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">2. Stainless Steel<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Typical Embodied Carbon:<\/strong> <strong>5\u20137 kg CO\u2082e\/kg<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Stainless steel contains chromium and nickel, both requiring energy-intensive extraction and processing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Key Findings<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Higher emissions than carbon steel.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Recycling significantly lowers impacts.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Long service life offsets replacement emissions in many applications.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">3. Carbon Steel<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Typical Embodied Carbon:<\/strong> <strong>1.7\u20132.8 kg CO\u2082e\/kg<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Steel remains one of the largest contributors to embodied carbon because of the enormous quantities used in buildings.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Key Findings<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Blast furnace production has the highest emissions.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Electric Arc Furnace (EAF) steel using recycled scrap dramatically reduces carbon footprint.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Responsible for a significant proportion of structural embodied carbon.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">4. Cement (Ordinary Portland Cement)<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Typical Embodied Carbon:<\/strong> <strong>0.75\u20130.95 kg CO\u2082e\/kg<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Cement production accounts for approximately <strong>7\u20138% of global CO\u2082 emissions<\/strong> due to limestone calcination and kiln fuel consumption.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Key Findings<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Cement is considerably more carbon-intensive than concrete on a per-kilogram basis.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Supplementary Cementitious Materials (SCMs) such as fly ash and GGBS substantially reduce emissions.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Low-clinker cement technologies continue to improve carbon performance.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">5. Plastics &amp; Polymer-Based Construction Products<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Typical Embodied Carbon:<\/strong> <strong>2\u20136 kg CO\u2082e\/kg<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Plastic products originate primarily from petrochemical feedstocks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Key Findings<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>High manufacturing energy demand.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Difficult end-of-life management.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Carbon footprint varies considerably by polymer type.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Examples include:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>PVC<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>HDPE<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Polycarbonate<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Acrylic panels<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">6. Glass<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Typical Embodied Carbon:<\/strong> <strong>0.8\u20131.5 kg CO\u2082e\/kg<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Glass manufacturing requires continuous high-temperature furnaces.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Key Findings<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Float glass production is energy intensive.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Triple glazing improves operational efficiency but increases embodied carbon.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Recycled cullet reduces production emissions.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">7. Fired Clay Bricks<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Typical Embodied Carbon:<\/strong> <strong>0.20\u20130.45 kg CO\u2082e\/kg<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Kiln firing dominates brick emissions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Key Findings<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Manufacturing fuel determines carbon intensity.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Local sourcing reduces transportation impacts.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Fly ash bricks generally outperform fired clay bricks.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">8. Concrete<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Typical Embodied Carbon:<\/strong> <strong>0.08\u20130.20 kg CO\u2082e\/kg<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Although concrete has relatively low emissions per kilogram, it is the world&#8217;s most widely consumed construction material, making its total climate impact extremely significant.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Key Findings<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Cement content determines overall embodied carbon.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>SCM substitution offers immediate reductions.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Carbon-cured concrete technologies are emerging rapidly.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">9. Gypsum Board (Drywall)<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Typical Embodied Carbon:<\/strong> <strong>0.20\u20130.35 kg CO\u2082e\/kg<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Key Findings<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Moderate manufacturing emissions.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Increasing recycled gypsum content lowers impacts.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Lightweight products reduce transport emissions.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">10. Natural Stone<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Typical Embodied Carbon:<\/strong> <strong>0.05\u20130.20 kg CO\u2082e\/kg<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Key Findings<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Quarrying dominates emissions.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Minimal processing compared with manufactured materials.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Local stone generally offers lower embodied carbon than imported alternatives.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">11. Engineered Timber (CLT, Glulam)<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Typical Embodied Carbon:<\/strong> <strong>0.05\u20130.15 kg CO\u2082e\/kg<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Engineered timber is among the lowest-carbon structural materials currently available.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Key Findings<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Stores atmospheric carbon during tree growth.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Requires significantly less manufacturing energy than steel or concrete.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Sustainable forestry certification is essential for long-term environmental performance.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">12. Solid Timber \u2014 Lowest Embodied Carbon<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Typical Embodied Carbon:<\/strong> <strong>0.02\u20130.10 kg CO\u2082e\/kg<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Solid timber consistently ranks among the lowest embodied carbon construction materials.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Key Findings<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Renewable resource.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Minimal processing energy.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Excellent carbon storage potential.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Particularly suitable for low-rise residential and hybrid structures.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">See also: <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><a href=\"https:\/\/archgist.com\/embodied-carbon-its-impact-on-global-construction\/\" title=\"\">Embodied Carbon: Its Impact on Global Construction<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><a href=\"https:\/\/archgist.com\/top-10-ways-to-reduce-embodied-carbon-through-built-environment\/\" title=\"\">Top 10 ways to reduce embodied carbon through<\/a> built environment<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><br><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Rank Material Typical Embodied Carbon (kg CO\u2082e\/kg) 1 Primary Aluminium 8\u201318 2 Stainless Steel 5\u20137 3 Carbon Steel 1.7\u20132.8 4 Plastics 2\u20136 5 Portland Cement 0.75\u20130.95 6 Glass 0.8\u20131.5 7 Fired Clay Brick 0.20\u20130.45 8 Gypsum Board 0.20\u20130.35 9 Concrete 0.08\u20130.20 10 Natural Stone 0.05\u20130.20 11 Engineered Timber 0.05\u20130.15 12 Solid Timber 0.02\u20130.10 How to calculate embodied carbon emissions Embodied carbon is in essence the carbon footprint of a material, or cumulatively, a building. To calculate these emissions,&nbsp;multiply the quantity of the material&nbsp;(e.g. steel or concrete)&nbsp;by its carbon factor&nbsp;\u2013 the amount of carbon released in the creation\/production of the material up to this point. Reference: What is embodied carbon (and what can we do about it)? 1. Aluminium \u2014 Highest Embodied Carbon Typical Embodied Carbon: 8\u201318 kg CO\u2082e\/kg (Primary Aluminium) Primary aluminium consistently ranks as the most carbon-intensive mainstream construction material because of its energy-intensive electrolysis process. Key Findings Best Applications References 2. Stainless Steel Typical Embodied Carbon: 5\u20137 kg CO\u2082e\/kg Stainless steel contains chromium and nickel, both requiring energy-intensive extraction and processing. Key Findings 3. Carbon Steel Typical Embodied Carbon: 1.7\u20132.8 kg CO\u2082e\/kg Steel remains one of the largest contributors to embodied carbon because of the enormous quantities used in buildings. Key Findings 4. Cement (Ordinary Portland Cement) Typical Embodied Carbon: 0.75\u20130.95 kg CO\u2082e\/kg Cement production accounts for approximately 7\u20138% of global CO\u2082 emissions due to limestone calcination and kiln fuel consumption. Key Findings 5. Plastics &amp; Polymer-Based Construction Products Typical Embodied Carbon: 2\u20136 kg CO\u2082e\/kg Plastic products originate primarily from petrochemical feedstocks. Key Findings Examples include: 6. Glass Typical Embodied Carbon: 0.8\u20131.5 kg CO\u2082e\/kg Glass manufacturing requires continuous high-temperature furnaces. Key Findings 7. Fired Clay Bricks Typical Embodied Carbon: 0.20\u20130.45 kg CO\u2082e\/kg Kiln firing dominates brick emissions. Key Findings 8. Concrete Typical Embodied Carbon: 0.08\u20130.20 kg CO\u2082e\/kg Although concrete has relatively low emissions per kilogram, it is the world&#8217;s most widely consumed construction material, making its total climate impact extremely significant. Key Findings 9. Gypsum Board (Drywall) Typical Embodied Carbon: 0.20\u20130.35 kg CO\u2082e\/kg Key Findings 10. Natural Stone Typical Embodied Carbon: 0.05\u20130.20 kg CO\u2082e\/kg Key Findings 11. Engineered Timber (CLT, Glulam) Typical Embodied Carbon: 0.05\u20130.15 kg CO\u2082e\/kg Engineered timber is among the lowest-carbon structural materials currently available. Key Findings 12. Solid Timber \u2014 Lowest Embodied Carbon Typical Embodied Carbon: 0.02\u20130.10 kg CO\u2082e\/kg Solid timber consistently ranks among the lowest embodied carbon construction materials. Key Findings See also: Embodied Carbon: Its Impact on Global Construction Top 10 ways to reduce embodied carbon through built environment<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":4239,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[13,17,19],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-4200","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-materials","category-sustainability","category-waste-reduction"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/archgist.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4200","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/archgist.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/archgist.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/archgist.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/archgist.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=4200"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/archgist.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4200\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/archgist.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=4200"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/archgist.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=4200"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/archgist.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=4200"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}