The Universal Classification system for assessing the embodied carbon of concrete in Canada

Concrete is known to be the most prevalent human-made material globally owing to its durability, versatility, and affordability that, however, contributes significantly to global CO 2 emissions. Consequently, efforts have intensified to reduce concrete’s embodied carbon, with emerging or conventional alternative technologies aiming to mitigate emissions and produce “sustainable” and “low carbon” concrete, a set of terms that have been used inconsistently leading to potential greenwashing and confusion in the industry. Simultaneously, there is a pressing need for tools and policies to guide the design of low-carbon concrete structures and infrastructure. This paper introduces an embodied carbon classification system as a practical solution to address industry confusion and facilitate sustainable practices in the concrete construction sector. It consists of a universally applicable tool that can be used by designers, manufacturers, asset owners, contractors, and policy makers to enable a robust evaluation of the embodied carbon concrete, develop pathways to concrete decarbonization, and set interregional definitions and targets for low-carbon concrete materials.