← Sustainability & Urban Design
Carbon Footprint
SUSTAINABILITY & URBAN DESIGNbeginner
Definition
The total amount of greenhouse gases — particularly CO₂ — emitted directly or indirectly by a building over its lifetime. In buildings, carbon is split into 'operational carbon' (from heating, cooling, lighting) and 'embodied carbon' (from manufacturing and transporting materials). Reducing both is essential to achieving net zero.
Example
The construction of a single large skyscraper can produce the same embodied carbon as thousands of flights — a figure driving architects to prioritise low-carbon materials like timber and recycled steel.