DOE releases vertical construction decarbonization blueprint

The U.S. Department of Energy has released the first federal blueprint to decarbonize America’s building sector.

One of the key objectives listed in the report is to minimize embodied life cycle emissions associated with manufacturing building materials. To achieve this objective, federal agencies will use whole-building modeling and design tools that evaluate the embodied carbon of building material components, among other activities.

While the document does not specifically address asphalt, it does signal the federal government’s intent to focus on embodied carbon as a significant lever for reducing greenhouse gas emissions. This approach reflects activities that are more directly related to asphalt pavements, such as GSA’s Low Embodied Carbon Program and FHWA’s Low Carbon Transportation Materials Grants Program.