In the heart of Copenhagen, a new study has shone a spotlight on the often-overlooked carbon emissions tied to urban development, revealing that the construction and demolition phases of building projects could be a significant obstacle in the race to align with the Paris Agreement.
Simon Sjökvist, a researcher at the Royal Danish Academy: Architecture, Design, Conservation, Copenhagen, has led a groundbreaking investigation into the embodied climate impacts of urban development areas (UDAs). The study, published in the journal Buildings & Cities, delves into the lifecycle of newly developed areas, focusing on the often-neglected embodied CO2e emissions from both buildings and infrastructure.
Sjökvist and his team found that the majority of emissions in the studied UDA occurred upfront, primarily due to new building construction. “Most emissions in the studied UDA occur upfront and are attributed to new building construction,” Sjökvist stated, highlighting the critical role of construction in urban carbon footprints.
The research also compared neighbourhood and city-scale impacts to absolute environmental boundaries, underscoring the substantial climate impacts of urban planning. “The substantial amounts of embodied CO2e attributed to planned UDAs, particularly emissions occurring upfront and relative to absolute environmental boundaries, suggest the need to rethink current urban planning frameworks to better align with absolute environmental boundaries and the goals of the Paris Agreement,” Sjökvist explained.
One of the most surprising findings was the limited impact of building reuse on overall embodied emissions. While some buildings in the UDA were refurbished and repurposed into housing and offices, their reuse only made a small difference when considering embodied emissions for the entire UDA. This revelation challenges the conventional wisdom that prioritizing existing building inventories over new construction is always the best strategy for mitigating carbon emissions.
The study’s implications for the energy sector are profound. As cities around the world grapple with the need to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, the findings suggest that a holistic approach to urban planning is essential. This could mean a shift towards low-carbon technologies and materials in construction, as well as regulatory targets that incentivize sustainable practices.
The study also highlights the importance of considering the overall scale of permissible building rights. Sjökvist’s research suggests that rethinking the scale of urban development could be a critical step in aligning with the Paris Agreement’s goals.
The study, published in Buildings & Cities, serves as a call to action for urban planners, policymakers, and the construction industry. It underscores the need for a more nuanced understanding of embodied carbon emissions and the importance of integrating these considerations into urban planning frameworks. As cities continue to grow and evolve, the findings from this study could shape future developments, guiding the industry towards more sustainable and climate-resilient practices.