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Bangladesh University of Engineering & Technology

DEPARTMENT OF CIVIL ENGINEERING

Course No: HUM 274
Course Title: Developing English Language Skills

Report Title:
Carbon Neutral Construction: From Footprint to Foundation

Submitted To
Md. Murshikul Alam
Professor (English), Department of Humanities, BUET

Khanam Nargis Sultana

Assistant Professor, Department of Humanities, BUET

Submitted By
Md Abu Bakar Chiddik 2204124 Section: B2
Pranab Nandi 2204125 Group: 05
Md. Rahatul Islam Riad 2204126 Level: 01
Md. Asadul Hossen 2204127 Term: 02
Tasnuva Tandil 2204128 Date of Submission: 20/11/24
Foysal Ahamed 2204129
Prokash Kumar 2204130

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 Forwarding Letter
20 November,2024
Md. Murshikul Alam
Khanam Nargis Sultana
Department of Humanities,
Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology, Dhaka-1000.

Subject: Regarding the submission of the report “Carbon Neutral Construction; From
Footprint to Foundation”

Dear Sir and Madam,

We are gratified to submit our group report, "Carbon Neutral Construction from Footprint to
Foundation” in accordance with your guidelines. We would like to express our warm gratitude for
giving us the room to maneuver to write the report on the predominant topic.
This report is the product of a team effort looking into the state-of-the-art materials and practices
related to carbon neutrality in the construction building sector. Our team has conducted extensive
research into sustainable building materials, energy-efficient designs, circular economic principles
as well as policies, all of which are essential to minimizing the environmental impact of
construction projects. During our research, we have read most case studies, invented new
approaches, and proposed actions for sustainable construction practices. We believe that this report
can be an essential reference for the future development of eco-friendly buildings and in line with
the direction of environmental friendliness.
We sincerely apologize for any errors in the report and hope you will be kind enough to consider
them. We hope this report will help readers learn more about carbon neutrality and its key features.

Yours sincerely,
Md Abu Bakar Chiddik 2204124
Pranab Nandi 2204125
Md. Rahatul Islam Riad 2204126
Md. Asadul Hossen 2204127
Tasnuva Tandil 2204128
Foysal Ahamed 2204129
Prokash Kumar 2204130

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 Table of Contents
Topic Name Page No.
Report Title.................................................................................................................................ii
Forwarding Letter......................................................................................................................iii
Table of Contents.......................................................................................................................iv
List of Figures……………………………………………………..………………………….,,v
Contribution ..............................................................................................................................vi
Summary...................................................................................................................................vii
1. Introduction.............................................................................................................................1
a. Idea of Net Zero Carbon Emission…………………………………………………...…..1
b. Rise of Carbon Neutral Construction……………………………………...……………..2
c. Urgent need to CNC...........................................................................................................3
2. Understanding the problem......................................................................................................3
a. Rise of carbon emissions………………………………………………………...…...….3
b. Contribution from construction………………………………………………..........…...3
c. From Bangladesh’s Perspective………………………………………………..…...……5
3. Presenting a New Era of Carbon-Neutral Construction..........................................................6
a. Engaging Sustainable Materials……………………………………………………...….6
b. Energy Efficient Design…………………………………………………..……………..7
c. Renewable Energy……………………………………………………..………………..8
d. Circular Economic Principle……………………………………………………..…...…9
e. Policies…………………………………………….…………………………………...10
4. ................................................................................11
5. Obstacles on the Path to Carbon-Neutral Construction……………...………………….....13

6. Future of CNC……………………………………….……………………………………...15
7. Conclusion…………......……………………………………………………………………18
Recommendations.....................................................................................................................18
Questionnaire………..…………………………………………………...…..…….…………20

List of References……..…………………………………………………...…...…………….21

Glossary………………..……………………………………………………...…......….……22

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List of Figures: Page No.

Figure 1: Polar bear pushing smoking chimney……………...……………………………..........1

Figure 2: Net Zero Carbon Emission by 2050…………………………………………………….2
Figure 3: Cumulative Co2 emissions by year………………………………………….…………..3
Figure 4: Components of the annual embodied greenhouse gas emissions associated with the
transport infrastructure……………………………………………………………………...……..4
Figure 5: Components of the annual embodied greenhouse gas emissions associated with the
construction and renewal of buildings………………………………………………………….....4
Figure 6: Smoke billows from a cement plant………………………………...………………..…5
Figure 7: Brick Factory in Bangladesh…………………………………………………………...5
Figure 8: Sustainable materials for carbon neutral construction………………………………....6
Figure 9: Building Integrated Photovoltaics …………………………………………………...…8
Figure 10: Life Cycle Assessment………………………………………………………………...9
Figure 11: The Rise of Biomaterials: House of Bamboo……………………………...………......9
Figure 12: The cycle of ambition of the Paris Agreement…………………………………….....10
Figure 13Clean energy source in CNC that ensures safety…………….……...…………………11
Figure 14: Non-renewable energy source in conventional construction………………....……...11
Figure 15: Barriers and relevance framework of the implementation process of policies related to
building energy-efficient renovation………………………………………….………………….13
Figure 16: Cumulative occurrence of barriers under each category……………………………..14
Figure 17: Barriers faced by Delivering new net zero emissions buildings……………………..14
Figure 18: Survey Report………………………………………………………………………...14
Figure 19: Zero Energy Construction……………………………………………………………15
Figure 20: The Edge in Amsterdam……………………………………………………………...16
Figure 21: Belfast’s Eco Village………………………………………………………………....16
Figure 22: Susbuild Project……………...………………………………………………………17
Figure 23: Production of modules…………………………………………………………….….19
Figure 24: Modules in construction……………………………………………………………..19
Figure 25: Recycling……………………………………………………………………………..20

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 Contribution
Md Abu Bakar Chiddik (2204124) : 1(a, b), 3 (a, b), forwarding letter, Frontispiece
Pranab Nandi (2204125): (1-c)
Md. Rahatul Islam Riad (2204126): (5)
Md. Asadul Hossen (2204127): 2(a, b, c), 3(e), Composition, Frontispiece, Questionnaire
Tasnuva Tandil (2204128): 3(c, d), 7
Foysal Ahamed (2204129) Summary, 4, Recommendations
Prokash Kumar (2204130): 6

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Summary
What are the fundamental differences between the other planets and the Earth? The answer must
refer to three points: the presence of the atmosphere, water, and tolerable temperature. Any
existence of living organisms mainly depends on properly combining these three elements. The
whole ecological system is disturbed if any of these three elements are disturbed. Here enters the
role of prominent carbon dioxide because it can affect the three elements at the same time. Carbon
dioxide contributes a lot to maintaining the temperature; if it becomes less than the standard
amount, the temperature will decrease and vice-versa. We are concerned about the increase
because it has increased significantly after the invention of fire and later engines. Carbon dioxide
can disturb the bodies of water and the atmosphere by mixing with them and motivate the earth to
become hostile to living organisms. So, to control the basic elements of the earth and make her
more favorable for the ecology system, we must control CO2. While finding the sources of CO2,
we first meet construction. It is impossible to control the emissions under conventional
construction mechanisms because it is responsible for embodied and operational carbon emissions.
The production of construction materials and construction processes are powered by nonrenewable
energy sources under these mechanisms. So, it is imperative to introduce a new process that
contributes to no carbon emission or least carbon emission, the Carbon Neutral Construction
(CNC). It follows some such process that ensures full dependence on renewable energy sources
from the production phase to the household phase. CNC combines such materials that play a direct
role in controlling CO2, like carbon-capturing concrete that can trap CO2 directly; green concrete,
recycled materials that reduce construction cost and also reduce the demand for mineral
construction materials; bamboo, straw, wood, modified wood, etc. that are collected from nature
directly, more available, cheaper and environment friendly; higher efficient insulation material
that eases the cooling and heating process and minimizes energy requirement. CNC follows some
prominent mechanisms like passive design to control light, ventilation, and temperature in both
summer and winter. It uses renewable energy sources from the production level to household
usage. These include Solar energy, wind energy, bio-energy, geothermal energy, water wave
energy, etc., that provide ever-safe reliability; it includes some techniques to harvest these energies
like building integrated photovoltaic, road integrated photovoltaic. It is designed with an effective
waste management system that saves the environment from pollution and recycles construction
materials simultaneously. By including all these strategies, CNC ensures a pollution-free
environment where people will enjoy better health conditions and the entire ecology system will
get much stability. However, there are some hindrances in CNC-based construction mechanisms
as people all over the world are not so familiar with them and are accustomed to the conventional
construction process. Till now, most of the activities are powered by conventional nonrenewable
energy sources, especially in third-world countries. The primary installation cost is slightly higher
than that of the conventional system. So, to make CNCs popular worldwide, most governments
and organizations have developed various policies. Thus, the construction process will be familiar
and acceptable to the whole world, and the planet will be more comfortable for us and the whole
ecological system.

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1. INTRODUCTION
We would like to start our report by looking at the picture below

Source: [Link]
Figure 1: Polar bear pushing smoking chimney

It is a symbol of what happened to the nature of human activities, mainly because of industrial
pollution. The bear, being the symbol of the Arctic and its fragile ecology, is shown reaching
toward or touching the smokestack, representing a link between human activities and the
environment. Dark smoke simply symbolizes the substances emitted by industries that contribute
to global warming and have a ruining effect on the home of the polar bear.

From the story we can realize that nowadays climate change presents one of the largest
challenges, whose impacts threaten ecosystems, economies, and communities across the world.
The idea of net zero carbon emission in this field has emerged as one of the main problems in the
fight against global warming.

a. Idea of Net Zero Carbon Emission:

Net zero emission is not just an ambitious target now; it has become an imperative. That is
the large-scale transformation in energy production, industry methods, urban building, and
personal habits. Governments set ambitious targets, new ways invented by businesses to cut their
carbon footprint, and people-asking them to change their behavior. Yet, the road to Net Zero will
be lined with obstacles, from financial impediments and technological gaps to equity concerns in
how regions move toward greener economies.

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 This report investigates the
multivariable facets of net zero carbon
emissions. It does this by first considering the
science and economic rationale for net zero,
followed by a global strategies analysis that
covers Renewable energy use, Energy
efficiency, and Carbon offset programs. It also
cites success stories from countries and
corporations leading the way while
mentioning obstacles that have slowed
progress to date and recommendations for Source: [Link]
scaling up efforts to achieve this critical goal. Figure 2: Net Zero Carbon Emission by 2050
In an era beset by the urgency of
climate action, understanding and striving for
net zero emissions is not merely about avoiding disaster but about building a future in which
sustainability, innovation, and resilience can remain at the core. This report will attempt to
contribute toward such a perspective by equipping readers with all that a proper pathway to Net
zero has to offer and how collective responsibility needs to be shouldered for its pursuit. To
achieve this goal, we must impose these rules in every aspect of our life, like construction,
building, etc.

b. Rise of Carbon Neutral Construction:

Around 11% of global carbon emissions come from the construction industry, but
there is a trend towards adopting carbon-neutral construction in response to climate change.
Building carbon footprints can be minimized at all stages from design through to demolition by
using sustainable materials, energy-efficient design, renewable energy-based construction, the
efficient use of raw material and manpower in construction and carbon offsetting measures.
Climate change, government regulations, advancements in technology and economic advantages
have been some of the key drivers behind carbon-neutral construction.
While still nascent, more companies and governments are targeting carbon-neutral
projects. The Edge in Amsterdam, Bullitt Center in Seattle, or The Crystal (London) There has
been a rise in demand for buildings that leave less of an environmental footprint, and as such, we
can expect more carbon-neutral construction projects to emerge that will help reduce the industry
footprint of CO2 emissions and accomplish goals that lead to sustainable architecture.

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c. Urgent need to CNC:
Due to being a predominantly low-lying country comprising a delta, Bangladesh faces
a lot of climate threats. The construction industry is one important sector that cannot avoid this
imperative change to carbon-neutral practices, considering that it has one of the enormous carbon
footprints. Approaches will involve, among others, products utilizing eco-friendly alternatives,
energy-efficient building strategies, buying credits to counterbalance emissions, and enhancing
construction techniques.
Therefore, to implement green building requirements, motivate environmentally
friendly behaviors, and support research and development into greener alternatives, we need the
government, the business base, and the population to join forces. Provided that policy is adopted,
known tactics will enable Bangladesh to set the agenda for sustainable development and create
sustainable cities and better ambient air.

2. Understanding the problem:

a. Rise of carbon emissions:
According to the book Global Governance and the Emergence of Global Institutions for the 21st
Century, today's biggest concern is environmental challenges, so carbon emissions are on the
table today. We’ve seen exponential growth in carbon footprint in recent years, 60% from 1990.
This growth results in climate change,
which is badly affecting the world. Coastal
countries like Bangladesh are the worst
victims. According to the World Risk
Index, Bangladesh ranks ninth in climate
disaster risk. Due to rising sea levels,
Bangladesh is expected to lose 17% of its
territory and 30% of its agricultural land by
2050.
Source: Our world in data
Figure 3: Cumulative Co2 emissions by year

b. Contribution from construction:

The leading factor of carbon emissions is undoubtedly construction-related projects, which
contribute 37% of the total footprint. We can broadly divide this into two sectors:
i. Transport infrastructure:
Transport infrastructure construction mainly focuses on on-site preparation, substructures,
bridges, tunnel structures, and superstructures like asphalt paving and railway tracks.

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 Source: [Link]
Figure 4: Components of the annual embodied greenhouse gas emissions associated with the
transport infrastructure

ii. Buildings:
The primary focus of buildings is the foundation,
building structure, and building envelope, which
encompass materials like concrete, metals,
insulation, gypsum, and glass.

Source: [Link]
Figure 5: Components of the annual embodied
greenhouse gas emissions associated with the
These numbers are more concerning construction and renewal of buildings
when we take the total emission into
context. The production of cement, the most used material in construction, alone is responsible
for about 8% of the world's total carbon dioxide emissions. On the other hand, steel production,
considered the largest-emitting manufacturing sector, contributes 7% of greenhouse gas
emissions. The brick industry is another significant construction component responsible for 2.7%
of total carbon emissions.

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 Source: Econcrete
Figure 6: Smoke billows from a cement plant

Other materials are less accountable for carbon footprints concerning these. Still, when we add
all the things and also consider the massive carbon emission happening because of the
transportation of these heavy materials, this adds up to make the biggest reason for the carbon
emission today.

c. From Bangladesh’s Perspective:

Developing countries like Bangladesh heavily
depend on infrastructure development to grow
their economies. As a result, the construction
sector accounts for one-third of the total 100
million tonnes per year of carbon emissions.
Brick production contributes 20 million tonnes
per year to this list, making it the most carbon-
emitting industry in the construction sector.
Our total carbon consumption may be small if
we take big countries into context, but this is
enough to destroy our country’s environment.
To meet the demand, there are 8500 brickfields Source: IEEFA
in the country, resulting in one brickfield per Figure 7: Brick Factory in Bangladesh
17.36 square km.
Our survey shows that most of the construction in Bangladesh doesn’t follow government
policies and doesn’t take enough safety measures to protect the environment. 63.3% of people
think the construction they have seen was not energy efficient, and 86.4% think there were a lot
of materials wasted. Along with the industry, this inefficiency makes this sector more hazardous.

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3. Presenting a New Era of Carbon-Neutral Construction
The new age of building, which promises complete zero carbon emissions, is a revolutionary
change in the construction universe as it focuses on sustainable materials, energy-efficient design,
a lower carbon footprint, etc. With global warming and its impacts real, zero-carbon construction
comes in handy, especially in the current times when containing the carbon impacts associated
with the building industry is essential.
It is an integrated approach that incorporates renewable energy, green building materials, and
advanced technologies in all building phases. Strategies such as sustainable design, including
passive solar heating or high-performance insulation, epitomize and further incorporate energy
efficiency in building systems.
If the economic rationale is insufficient, then the fact that the trend of carbon-zero construction
captures regulatory changes is also an emerging truth. The economic cost means that even as
countries move to tighten measurement boundaries of emissions, there will still be a growing
demand for greener buildings that balance any disadvantages that may arise. Promoting financial
benefits, green certificates, and heightened demand from eco-friendly clients, carbon-neutral
projects have greater market appeal. The way we can follow the root of carbon-neutral construction
is as follows:

a. Engaging Sustainable Materials: A key component of carbon-neutral building is the

use of sustainable materials, which aim to lessen the environmental impact of structures by
utilizing recyclable, low-carbon, or renewable resources. Key details concerning these
materials are:
i. Bamboo: Grass species that are fast-growing include bamboo, and most of these can
reach maturity in the record three to five years. Hence, it is renewable. Because of its remarkable
strength and resistance to breakage, bamboo can be put to multiple uses structurally and
ornamentally. Besides being cultivated, bamboo is among
the most carbon-dense flora since it can absorb and produce
oxygen.
ii. Engineered Timber: Cross-laminated timber and
other engineered wood products are dense enough to
replace steel and concrete. Of course, it stores carbon;
during its growth phase, CO2 is sucked in, and this
reduction of greenhouse gas emissions is balanced by Source: worldteams
what was stored. That is why timber becomes a renewable Figure 8: Sustainable materials for
resource only if it is taken from sustainably managed carbon-neutral construction
forests and, hence, an ecological building material.
iii. Recycled Steel and Concrete: Recycled steel and concrete reduce demand for fresh
raw materials, thus lowering carbon emissions normally accompanying the manufacture of these
building materials. Using salvaged materials saves energy and preserves resources since the

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process of recycling requires much less energy compared to the production of new steel or
concrete.
iv. Hempcrete: Hempcrete is a low-carbon concrete substitute made from the woody core
of the hemp plant mixed with a lime binder. It acts as a natural insulator in buildings, hence
contributing to energy efficiency. Nowadays it has become famous in different countries like the
USA, Canada and specifically in the West.
v. Cork and Mycelium: Mycelium, when dried, offers an environmentally friendly, water,
mold, and fire-resistant building material. Its integration with pasteurized sawdust is gaining
popularity in construction. On the other side, Cork comes from the bark of the cork oak tree, which
can be harvested without harming the tree. Cork is utilized in everyday items like wine corks and
cork boards and in construction. It is lightweight, waterproof, fire-resistant, and a great insulator.
Its neutral tones make it popular with designers and architects for cladding both inside and outside
structures.

b. Energy Efficient Design:

Another way to reduce carbon components in our construction is to use modern and energy-
efficient designs in civil construction so that people can live more comfortably. According to
Sustainability Victoria, Energy Efficiency Design incorporates proper insulation, sealing of any
holes and gaps during building construction, and quality weather seals for doors and windows.
Now look at some ways to design buildings with energy-efficient processes,
i. Cooling and Energy Efficiency: The current article from Sustainability Victoria speaks
about the importance of energy efficiency when it comes to building design with the help of
cooling technologies and methods of passive design. Among the strategies highlighted are night
purging, cross ventilation, and evaporative cooling techniques
ii. Passive solar design: This is distinguished by using solar radiation for thermal comfort
without the need for mechanical devices. It focuses on how buildings should be positioned to
increase light capture in the winter and decrease it in the summer. Without lowering the inside
temperature, this is accomplished via windows, shades, and reflecting surfaces, which lessens the
need for artificial heating and cooling.
iii. Excessive insulation: Effective insulation involves the use of materials such as foam
and mineral wool, and for environment-friendly uses, Dacron or straw bales help in the loss of
heat and in turning heat into buildings in winter and maintaining heat outside in summer. This
type of insulation also minimizes energy spent on cooling systems installed in buildings during
hot seasons, promoting energy sustainability and low pollution levels.
iv. Energy-conservation: In this way, windows are characterized by double or triple
glazing facilitating the control of heat transfer. Low emissive technologies (coatings) contribute
to solar heat gain control. This also aids in a balanced indoor environment by minimizing heat
loss and unwanted heat gain.

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 v. Using HTMM: High thermal mass materials help absorb and retain heat, thus
smoothing temperature fluctuations and lowering the need for heating and cooling systems. This,
in turn, makes it possible for such designs to keep indoor temperatures lower during the summers
and higher during the winters without any active measures.
vi. Zoning and Spatial Planning: Zoning can be defined as treating the whole building
into sections with variable heating, cooling, and lighting. Therefore, this will result in less energy
consumption due to the creation of various types of environments, and it is also more comfort-
oriented and cost-effective. Spatial planning is carried out based on properly placing rooms
within a building. The objective here is to enable maximum utilization of space along with taking
consideration of energy use. This has advantages, such as lesser energy use, workflow
enhancement, flexibility, and adaptability. Some of the implementation techniques include
activity-based design and utilization of natural light.

c. Renewable Energy:
Renewable energy is essential to carbon-neutral construction in the overall lifecycle phases of a
building from design, construction, and operation to demolition. Fitting in renewable energies
into carbon-neutral construction:
i. Building-Integrated Renewable Energy
Building-integrated photovoltaics (BIPV) are
photovoltaics integrated into buildings for zero-
emission processes that directly consume solar
energy. Instead of being installed on a building, they
are incorporated into its structure (e.g., as an integral
part of the roof, walls, or windows). The BIPV
system is highly efficient and can enhance the
building's appearance while lowering energy
consumption. Source: Tanfon Solar
ii. Production of Materials and the Carbon Figure 9: Building Integrated Photovoltaics
Embedded in Them
Concrete, steel, and glass are classic traditional Fig SEQ Figure \* ARABIC 1: Building Integrated
materials with high embodied carbon emissions due Photovoltaics
to energy-intensive manufacturing processes.
Choosing materials that are produced using renewable energy, like low-carbon concrete or
steel produced with solar or wind power, reduces emissions.

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 iii. LCA and Renewable Energy
A newly published life cycle assessment, or LCA,
quantifies net emissions during all lifecycle phases from
design through to demolition and considers the benefits of
renewable energy inputs made in any phase. Life cycle
assessments (LCAs) are often employed in carbon-neutral
engineering projects to quantify the impact of renewable
energy use and evaluate design decisions.
iv. Infrastructure Integration Source: Ecoinvent
FigureFig
10:2: Life Cycle
Life Cycle Assessment
Assessment
Renewable energy sources can be integrated into
infrastructure projects such as roads, bridges, and public transportation systems in urban
planning. Sidewalks and bike paths equipped with road-integrated photovoltaic cells or
piezoelectric systems can harvest electricity from people who walk or ride over them, helping to
reduce further carbon emissions expected in urban areas.

v. Carbon-Neutral Construction Process

Moving from diesel to electric construction equipment (actually powered by renewables) can
reduce on-site emissions. Other projects have adopted mobile stations running off the grid with
renewables, electric cranes, and biofuel alternatives for heavy machinery. The energy needs of
the building are minimized through passive solar design, natural ventilation, and strategic
insulation. An example involves the simulation of renewable energy consumption through
energy modeling software, which allows for the design of buildings with sun, wind, and thermal
properties that maximize microclimatic conditions and decrease energy expenditure.

d. Circular Economic Principle:

The idea of a circular economy is radical and offers the opportunity to reduce carbon-neutral
construction through acts such as waste prevention, use of reusable materials, design for a
sustainable life cycle, etc. Carbon emissions can be decreased by circular principles applied in
engineering at all stages of the lifecycle of construction projects. Here’s how it’s achieved:
i. Circular Design Can Help Reduce Embodied Carbon
Reduce Production of New Raw Material: The
extraction and processing of raw materials is a large
contributor to embodied carbon. The impact can be
reduced by sourcing locally and choosing highly
recyclable materials, such as aluminum or timber.
Utilization of Low-Carbon Alternatives: Concrete
with a lower carbon cost, bio-based materials
(such as bamboo or hempcrete), and recycled
metals can drastically reduce the carbon Source: House of Bamboo
footprint but stay within circular ideologies. Figure 11: The rise of Biomaterials: House of
Bamboo

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 ii. Material Reuse and Recycling Fig 3: The rise of Biomaterials: House of Bamboo
Reclaimed Materials: Reusing materials (bricks, steel, timber) from building demolitions has
the double benefit of not requiring new material inputs and eliminating emissions necessary to
manufacture and transport them.
Post-consumer Recycled Content in New Materials: Civil engineers can specify concrete and
asphalt mixes with recycled aggregates, which conserve natural resources while achieving lower
embodied carbon.
iii. Waste Reduction and Management of Construction Sites
Using efficient construction methods such as prefabrication, 3D printing, and on-site recycling
helps to minimize waste production. Establishing recycling stations at construction sites allows
for the sorting and processing of waste materials, which can then be reused within the current
project or saved for future use, promoting a closed-loop system.

e. Policies:
Various national and international policies are
the most powerful tools for achieving carbon
neutrality in construction. Many nations,
including the EU, China, Finland, and Japan,
have already set goals to become carbon
neutral at their own pace. However, if we want
a practical solution, all countries must first
acknowledge the facts and work to change
their policies. The Paris Agreement is
failing because the countries prioritize the Source: Expertise France
economy over nature. Figure 12: The cycle of ambition of the Paris
Agreement
After acknowledging the problem, there are several policies that we can introduce to gain carbon
neutrality in construction,
1) Only 26% of countries have building energy codes for the construction sector. To achieve
our goal, we need a global and national standard for buildings.
2) Many US states, including California, Colorado, and Maryland, have passed legislation
encouraging the purchase of materials with low embodied carbon. These policies should
be adopted universally.
3) Our survey showed affordability is the most significant barrier to neutralizing carbon.
Policies need to be made to lower the tax on those materials, and a carbon tax needs to be
added to the high-carbon-emitting materials.
4) Many countries, including Germany, offer incentives for using renewable energy. This
energy must be used in the construction sector, which will significantly lower carbon
emissions.

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 5) About 30 countries and states worldwide have decided to ban fossil fuels entirely by
2040. These regulations also need to be used in the construction sector.

4. Effectiveness of Various Ways of CNC

As the world moves forward, it faces various types of new challenges. These challenges include
limitations of world resources, huge population, non-renewable fuel issues, environmental
pollution, climate change, global warming, etc. Some of them are quite impossible to fix, or fixing
them may be a lengthy process, like solving population problems. But the others must be fixed to
ensure our smooth existence on the earth. From this perspective, environmental issues come first,
and later, public health issues, the economy, etc. Regarding environmental issues, the main culprit
is the emission of greenhouse gasses, where carbon dioxide contributes mostly. Here comes the
construction sector, as it produces a larger amount of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gasses;
it is also responsible for other environmental pollution. However, the world is ready to tackle these
issues with a more efficient, environmentally friendly idea of ‘carbon neutral construction’. While
conventional construction mechanisms can’t ensure the safety of the issues, carbon-neutral
construction mechanisms are ready to provide a guarantee.

Source: [Link] Source: Ecorapport

Figure 13: Clean energy source Figure 14: Non-renewable energy
in CNC that ensures safety. source in conventional construction

Concern of UN
1. What is the link between buildings and climate change?

The built environment – the place where people live, sleep, work, and play – is a major
source of carbon dioxide. This greenhouse gas traps heat near the Earth’s surface, warming
the planet and driving climate change.

2. Why are buildings such a major source of carbon dioxide emissions?

There are two reasons. First, buildings use vast amounts of energy for heating, cooling,
and lighting. In many countries, energy is generated mostly from fossil fuels – like coal

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 and oil – which release carbon dioxide when burned. This is what is known as operational
carbon.

Secondly, buildings are full of steel, cement, aluminum, and glass, which require a lot of
energy to make, transport, and install, again generating carbon dioxide emissions. This is
what is known as embodied carbon.

3. What can be done to reduce building-sector emissions?

Humanity must reduce both operational and embodied emissions from its buildings. To
reduce operational carbon emissions, buildings must become more efficient, cutting the
amount of energy they use for things like heating and cooling. This can be done by
adopting higher energy performance standards for new buildings, retrofitting existing
buildings, using more efficient appliances, and better energy planning and system
integration. The use of renewable energy to power buildings must also be increased.

The UN and all conscious organizations and citizens are concerned about the world's future
thermal conditions and climate. To get a release from these concerns, the idea of CNC has been
introduced as it has the potential to check them as follows_

CNC Offers Public Health Benefits

CNC can improve public health benefits by avoiding fossil fuels that worsen air quality, which is
dangerous, especially for children and elderly people. Indoor air can contain 2-5 times more pollutants
than the outdoor air as here fossil fuel may be burnt in poor ventilation state. Only gas stove can produce
21 health hazard particles. On the other hand, CNC-based building codes ensure energy economy by using
the best isolation mechanisms and natural ventilation systems. At the same time, they ensure clean energy
sources. The required energy here is less than that of conventional building codes, and it uses renewable
energy sources, so it can definitely ensure health safety.

CNC Saves Money and Create New Job Sector

CNC uses various types of natural construction materials besides upgraded conventional
construction materials and renewable fuel, saving money. CONFUSED! At first sight, it may be
confusing as the installation cost of renewable energy sources is more than that of fossil fuel, but
considering the life-long durability and reliability of renewable energy sources, it is true. To
introduce CNC-based buildings, there needs to be a lot of skilled workers. Even after constructing
a building, workers are required to introduce new facilities. As there is no requirement for a
conventional degree for the general worker, only skills in a specific job are required, and all can
get the job.

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CNC Saves Environment
The primary purposes of introducing the idea of CNC are to save nature, provide energy assurance,
and ensure the highest facilities. Considering this, CNC uses upgraded construction materials,
including carbon-capturing concrete, modified natural materials, recycled materials, green shields,
clean energy sources, excellent insulation mechanisms, and so on. Here, carbon-capturing concrete
contains materials that can capture carbon dioxide, modified natural materials, and recycled
materials, reducing the requirement for mineral materials. As material recycling requires less
energy, it also reduces the pressure on fuel. Green shield refers to planting trees around the projects
that naturally capture carbon dioxide. Excellent insulation systems ensure efficiency over energy
used for cooling or heating. Using clean energy is the most prominent step of CNC that will one
day release us from dependence on fossil fuels and other types of non-renewable energy sources.
If we can establish control over air pollution, we will be able to control global warming. Through
this, we will be able to check climate change and all types of natural calamities, as the condition
of weather and climate is mostly dependent on temperature.

5. Obstacles on the Path to Carbon-Neutral Construction

In traditional construction methods, materials such as cement and steel are used, both of which
have a very high carbon footprint. And it is very hard to find low-carbon alternatives on a large
scale. So, several challenges will arise when we’re going to implement our ideas. Many existing
studies have been carried out on the barriers related to the advancements of energy-efficient
renovation for existing buildings. For instance, Putnam et al. found household participation,
development of local supply chains, and government financial and regulatory support programs as
the main barriers in their analysis of building energy-efficient renovation in the UK. Alam et
al. summarized the building energy-efficient renovation challenges faced in Australia to include
four components: building efficiency assessment, financial funding, government procurement
models, and public awareness. Du et al. adopted questionnaires, interviews, and factor analysis to
investigate the barriers to building energy-efficient renovation in China from five perspectives:
stakeholders, policies and regulations, auxiliary resources, profitability, and technological
adaptability.

Source: [Link]
Figure 15: Barriers and relevance framework of the implementation
process of policies related to building energy-efficient renovation.

13
Numerous barriers are identified and grouped into categories such as economic, market,
knowledge, technical, organizational, technological, and legal barriers. The barriers are defined in
this review as follows:
i. Economic: These barriers are due to the insufficient economic feasibility of
implementing measures to achieve net zero emissions buildings and financial
restrictions regarding such implementation.
ii. Market: These include the factors that restrict the obtainment of materials and
resources for the project.
iii. Knowledge: These include barriers related to the availability of required skills and
knowledge necessary for transitioning to a carbon-neutral industry.
iv. Technical: These include barriers related to processes, procedures, practices, and
software tools.
v. Organizational: These include barriers within construction companies and firms
that hinder the delivery of net zero-emission buildings.
vi. Technological: These encompass the barriers to the availability and use of
appropriate hardware tools and systems in the industry.
vii. Legal: These include legal and contractual factors associated with net zero
emissions buildings’ delivery that pose significant limitations in the industry.

Source: MDPI Source: MDPI

Figure 16: Cumulative occurrence of Figure 17: Barriers faced by
barriers under each category Delivering new net zero emissions buildings.

Our survey shows that about 36% of people believe

that a lack of sufficient knowledge is the biggest
challenge to carbon-neutral construction. This means
there may be less awareness and comprehension of
the technical, financial, and policy-related features of
this kind of project. Bangladesh, being a developing
country, always has limited financial resources. So, it
is hard for countries like Bangladesh to invest on a
large scale in this type of project, which is still in the Figure 18: Survey Report
research phase. Environmental programs are often less
of a priority than building infrastructure, reducing poverty, and meeting urgent economic needs.

14
6. Future of CNC
Several plans and strategies have been implemented at construction sites to minimize carbon
footprints all over the world in the future. Different countries are emphasizing different sides of
construction to reduce carbon emissions. Here are some ideas about the future of carbon-neutral
construction worldwide :

1. Using low-carbon materials: The first and most fruitful way of reducing carbon
emission is the use of low-carbon materials in the project. For this reason, the popularity of
cross-laminated timber (CLT) is increasing day by day, and it will be used in large-scale
constructions in the near future. CLT is an engineered wood product made by gluing layers of
timber together, with the grain alternating at 90-degree angles for each layer. It's used for pre-
fabricated structural applications, such as forming floors, walls, and roofs. The “Canada’s
Earth Towers ”project will be the tallest wood building in Vancouver, utilizing engineered
timber to minimize carbon footprint.
Energy-Saving Design & Renewable Energy Integration:
i. Idea of ZERO Energy: The European Council adopted the revised Energy Performance of
Buildings Directive (EPBD) with new rules to reduce energy use and emissions from
buildings across the EU, including targets for all new buildings to be carbon-neutral by
2030.
The legislation also takes steps to improve the lowest-performing buildings, with requirements
for member states to adopt a national trajectory for residential buildings to reduce energy use
by 16% by 2030 and 20-22% by 2035, with at least 55% of the decrease to be achieved through
the renovation of the worst-performing buildings, and for non-residential buildings to meet
minimum energy performance standards leading to renovating the 16% worst-performing
buildings by 2030 and the 26% worst-performing buildings by 2033.
The Empire State Building of New York is one of the
examples of energy-saving buildings that achieve 40%
energy savings through advanced insulation and
energy-efficient HVAC systems. The energy efficiency
retrofit is just one component of a huge capital
investment aimed at repositioning this iconic
skyscraper as a Class A state-of-the-art office building.
The retrofit has created great public relations and is
Source:[Link]
now serving as inspiration and a model for other multi-
Figure 19: Zero Energy
tenant, multi-story retrofits. Construction

15
 ii. Implementing Renewable Energy Systems: Renewable energy sources like solar and wind,
are becoming standard features in new constructions. This system can reduce a huge
amount of energy emissions. Japan’s Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building has
implemented solar panels as an energy source and reduce grid dependency. In California,
all new homes are mandated to include solar panels.
To avoid grid dependency and reserve renewable energy, battery storage systems are integrated
with renewable energy sources.
Australia’s Hornsdale Power Reserve is an example of integrated sources and battery systems
implemented in green infrastructure. This technology will take carbon-neutral construction one
step ahead in the future.
2. Eco-friendly Building Design:
i. Resilient and Adaptive Design: As climate risks
increase, buildings are being designed to withstand
extreme weather. For example, The Edge in
Amsterdam has rainwater harvesting and energy-
efficient systems that reduce dependency on
external utilities.
Source: [Link]
Figure 20: The Edge in Amsterdam
ii. Eco Villages: Some technologies are implemented to
achieve low energy consumption and resilience to power
Source: [Link] outages and temperature extremes by adding modern features
Figure 21: Belfast’s EcoVillage to the design. One example is Belfast’s Eco Village in Maine,
USA, which is designed with features like high R-value
insulation, passive solar heating, and energy recovery ventilation.

3. Policy and Roadmap Initiatives Worldwide: Several countries are taking initiatives to
set future carbon-neutral construction policies. For example:
i. EU’s Green Deal and Fit for 55: The EU set goals for a Green Deal for carbon neutrality by
2050 and also declared a proposal “Fit for 55,” which targets reducing greenhouse gas
emissions by at least 55% by 2030. This includes stricter building codes, requiring near-zero-
energy buildings, and encouraging the renovation of older structures to comply.
ii. The UK government’s set Ten Point Plan for a Green Industrial Revolution and Net Zero
Strategy provides a roadmap for this transition, outlining strategies for improving energy
efficiency, promoting low-carbon heating solutions, and encouraging the construction of
energy-efficient new homes.
iii. Some cities like Tokyo, Seoul, and Singapore have dedicated roadmaps for green buildings.
For example, Singapore’s Green Mark Scheme will work to achieve green certifications,
with a goal to green 80% of its buildings by 2030.
Bangladesh is also taking initiatives for carbon-neutral construction to align with global
efforts. Some key points are mentioned here:

16
i. The SusBuild project: This project offers
environment-friendly and affordable building
material to the construction sector. These products are
made of dredged river sand, stone dust, and a small
percentage of cement, rather than agricultural topsoil,
without burning any coal or wood to dry, which is
greener than traditional burned clay bricks.

ii. Green Building Projects: Bangladesh is also Source: [Link]

planning to increase the number of green buildings to Figure 22: Susbuild Project
reduce carbon emissions from construction. To
construct green buildings, the council proposed a centralized board to issue LEED. LEED will
introduce a positive competition to make Bangladesh cleaner, greener, and more sustainable.
iii. Dhaka's Climate Action Plan: In May 2024,Dhaka North and South City Corporation (DNCC
and DSCC) proposed Dhaka’s first-ever Paris-aligned climate action plans. The plans will serve
as a roadmap for Dhaka North and Dhaka South to become carbon-neutral cities by 2050.
iv. The Mujib Climate Prosperity Plan 2022-2041 (MCPP): This project includes a number of
ambitious new and strengthened adaptation efforts to build resilience in populations and
ecosystems through investment this decade to contribute to 2041 outcomes. The MCPP was
launched under Bangladesh’s second tenure as president of the Climate Vulnerable Forum
(CVF). It works to counteract climate-induced damage and losses by equipping vulnerable
communities, industry, and the government with the Mujib vision supported by optimized
financing tools and models that will be key to the new risk management paradigm to bring about
resilience and stability, especially for small businesses, vulnerable populations, and the
economy.
v. Design for Environment and Sustainable Habitations: The main purpose is to establish an
energy labelling system for zero operational carbon sites and zero emissions building design and
construction to ensure that the design concept is appropriate to the local context, to eliminate
environmental impact over the life cycle, to ensure Sustainability for future generations and to
minimize energy demands throughout the life cycle of Habitation development.
vi. Projects Of NDC: Bangladesh increased its conditional emissions reduction target from 36
MtCO2e to 89.47 MtCO2e by 2030. The revised NDC highlights progress made on adaptation,
which is a key priority for the country. The development of a comprehensive National
Adaptation Plan (NAP) is currently underway.
vii. International Collaboration: Bangladesh collaborates with global organizations like the
United Nations and C40 Cities to implement science-based urban sustainability and resilience
solutions. These partnerships bring technical and financial support to scale up climate-
compatible construction and urban development.

17
7. Conclusion
Through the report, the idea of net-zero carbon emissions is highlighted, especially the
construction one, which is a major global carbon emitter. Some of the main methods addressed
went from transitioning to renewable energy, using low-energy designs, and implementing
sustainable materials like bamboo, engineered timber, and hempcrete. Such innovations, together
with renewable energy technologies, including Building-Integrated Photovoltaics (BIPVs), are
used to reduce operational and embodied carbon emissions.
Steps for carbon neutrality are not implemented easily like those in industrialized countries, and
therefore, challenges lie in the way of developing countries such as Bangladesh. It lacks many
aspects of socio-cultural areas of the globe lifestyle and policy differences yet depicts a
tremendous demand for great attentive shifts in policies and investment strategies in Green
technologies to overcome the underlying economic, technical, and knowledge forces contributing
to this multi-faceted problem. Countries can reduce the cost burden and encourage the use of
more green technologies by changing the tax on green materials or imposing embedded
renewable energy consumption on them.
The report also portrays the potential of circular economy principles by reducing waste and
reusing or recycling materials to reduce environmental impact. It showcases the world's
successful experiences, policy initiatives such as the European Union Green Deal and the Mujib
Climate Prosperity Plan of Bangladesh, and the capacity of green buildings to create jobs, cut
costs, and safeguard the health of the public. These measures provide a blueprint that can guide
the implementation of sustainability in construction to minimize climate risk.
Afterward, Carbon-neutral construction is an important part of global efforts to combat climate
change and save the planet for generations to come. Governments, businesses, and civil society
are called upon in the report "to mobilize" to prevent "the transition from green field
development on such a scale".

Recommendation
Carbon Neutral Construction has opened a new and more efficient mechanism to cope with the
adverse situation of the world. To get the highest benefit from the mechanism, gradual
modification is required to increase its potential. Here are some points for concentration_

Efficient Design Plan

The first step to implement any project based upon CNC is the efficiency in its plan.

18
Engaging Modulation Strategy
Modulation Strategy ensures a large-scale production manual
that reduces production costs. As modules are produced in
some specific plants, it is easy to maintain environmental
codes, thus ensuring environmental safety. Here, construction
quality is easy to maintain. Subsidiary materials like shuttering
or formwork materials are used frequently, so waste
management is easy to maintain here. An uninterrupted energy
supply can be ensured here by implementing a renewable
energy plant near the plant that also maintains energy Source: [Link]
efficiency. Figure 23: Production of
modules
Space management is another prominent aspect of CNC,
which refers to using minimum space for a project because
it is easier to maintain all the codes and activities. Natural
ventilation systems should be ensured, and energy-saving
appliances should be used to minimize energy consumption.
Subsidiary material should be chosen from nature. Frequent
use of subsidiary material lessens material consumption and
reduces production costs. At the same time, it facilitates the
waste management system.
Source: [Link]
Figure 24: Modules in construction

Environment-Friendly Construction Materials

Materials collected from nature, such as bamboo, Wood, and modified wood, are more available
and environment-friendly. Other major materials should be produced from recycling as much as
possible to reduce the demand for mineral materials. They must contain carbon-capturing elements
like fly ash, slag, geopolymer binders, etc. All materials should be collected from local sources to
minimize transportation costs.

Energy Efficiency
The world is highly concerned about energy sources as, till now, the greater portion of energy comes from
nonrenewable fossil fuels. The reserve of the sources is being shrunk gradually; it cannot cope with the
increasing energy demand. So, there is no way to delay the shift to renewable energy sources. From this
perspective, the Construction sector should be fully dependent on renewable energy sources such as
building-integrated photovoltaics, air energy, geothermal energy, bio-energy, water energy, solar energy,
etc. At the same time, equipment, appliances, and machines used should follow a minimum energy
consumption mechanism. Both embodied and operational carbon should be led to zero.

19
Waste Management
To build a beneficial, healthy, climate friendly and ecofriendly
environment there is no alternative to waste management. For this,
the first initiative is to ensure minimum consumption and the highest
utilization. Materials that are used for temporary purpose, should be
re used them. Then, wastes should be collected perfectly and
recycled properly. This keeps the environment healthy and saves
construction cost.
Source: [Link]
Figure 25: Recycling

Questionnaire
i. Have you seen any construction?
(a) Yes (b) No
ii. Do you think construction is a major reason for the total carbon emissions of the world?
(a) Yes (b) No (c) Maybe
iii. Was the construction you've seen energy efficient?
(a) Yes (b) No (c) Maybe
iv. Do you think a lot of materials were wasted in that construction?
(a) Yes (b) No (c) Maybe
v. Do you think this was a hotspot for carbon emissions?
(a) Yes (b) No (c) Maybe
vi. Was the safety of the environment taken into account while doing the construction?
(a) Yes (b) No (c) Maybe
vii. Were the government policies maintained thoroughly?
(a) Yes (b) No (c) Maybe
viii. Was it possible to use carbon-neutral materials?
(a) Yes (b) No (c) Maybe
ix. Are Government policies needed to ensure carbon-neutral construction?
(a) Yes (b) No (c) Maybe

20
x. What was the biggest challenge in using carbon-neutral materials?
(a)Affordability (b)Availability (c)Not having enough knowledge
xi. Will you use carbon-neutral materials if you have the options?
(a) Yes (b) No (c) Maybe

List of References
1. World Green Building Council: [Link]
2. International Finance Corporation: [Link]
3. Pre Optima: [Link]
carbon-solution
4. [Link]
[Link]
[Link]://[Link]/wp-
content/uploads/2023/10/WRR_2023_english_online161023.pdf
[Link]
6. [Link]
decarbonization/
[Link]://[Link]/stories/2024/09/cement-production-sustainable-concrete-co2-
emissions/#:~:text=Global%20cement%20manufacturing%20is%20responsible,Image:%20Statis
ta
[Link]://[Link]/blog/are-bricks-bad-for-the-environment
[Link]://[Link]/round-tables/news/green-construction-future-the-industry-
2110313
[Link]://[Link]/business/news/brickfields-count-losses-tk-1200cr-cyclone-
3476341
11. Sustainable Building Materials for an Eco-Friendly Home - GreenCitizen
12. [Link]
13. Key principles of energy-efficient design | Sustainability Victoria
[Link]://[Link]/en/what-is-energy-efficiency-in-construction-and-how-is-it-
achieved?form=MG0AV3
15. [Link]

21
16. [Link]
17. [Link]
18. [Link]
19. [Link]
green-materials/641364/
[Link]://[Link]/insights/health-economic-and-community-benefits-zero-carbon-
buildingsUN
[Link]://[Link]/news-and-stories/story/why-making-buildings-greener-crucial-
countering-climate-change
22. Putnam, T., & Brown, D. (2021). Grassroots retrofit: Community governance and residential
energy transitions in the United Kingdom. Energy Research & Social Science, 78, 102102.
[Link]
23. Alam, M., Zou, P. X., Stewart, R. A., Bertone, E., Sahin, O., Buntine, C., & Marshall, C.
(2018). Government championed strategies to overcome the barriers to public building energy
efficiency retrofit projects. Sustainable Cities and Society, 44, 56-69.
[Link]
24. Liu, Z., Yu, C., Qian, Q. K., Huang, R., You, K., Visscher, H., & Zhang, G. (2023). Incentive
initiatives on energy-efficient renovation of existing buildings towards carbon–neutral blueprints
in China: Advancements, challenges and prospects. Energy and Buildings, 296, 113343.
[Link]

Glossary
HTMM: High thermal mass materials
Paris Agreement: The Paris Agreement is a legally binding international treaty on climate
change.
BIPV: Building-integrated photovoltaics
LCA: Life cycle assessment

Embodied emission: Carbon emission during the production of construction materials

Operational emission: Carbon emission after construction due to household activities

Carbon capturing concrete: Mechanism of concrete production that consumes and stores carbon
emitted during concrete production.

22