Greenhouse Gas Emissions of Global Construction Industries

Abstract

Abstract The global construction industry is responsible for considerable effects on the environment and society. The construction and use of our built environment accounts for 39% of global greenhouse gas emissions. Population growth and rising standards of living are further exacerbating these problems. Understanding the contribution of construction industries and those activities responsible for the greatest share of greenhouse gas emissions is crucial in order to identify opportunities for emissions mitigation. This study uses multi-regional input-output analysis to analyse the embodied greenhouse gas emissions of global construction industries. A structural path analysis (SPA) was conducted for the construction sectors of 44 countries using top-down economic input-output data from EXIOBASE3. The findings were analysed to compare the embodied greenhouse gas emissions of each construction sector to ascertain their emissions intensity. The structural path analysis was used to disaggregate each sector into unique nodes or pathways, with each representing a single or group of activities and their associated emissions. This was used to identify critical hot spots of emissions within the various construction supply chains. The results show that there is wide discrepancy between the emissions intensity of the construction industry for the 44 countries, ranging from 0.165 kgCO2e/Euro to 2.05 kgCO2e/Euro. In addition, the most significant contributors to emissions for the most emissions intensive countries are the production of concrete and steel. This in-depth analysis of global construction industries using multi-regional input-output data provides critical information needed to identify opportunities for reducing global construction-related greenhouse gas emissions. This will help prioritise future emissions reduction efforts within the construction industry and target specific solutions to achieve the greatest improvements to the overall environmental performance of global construction industries.