End-of-Life Decarbonization
End-of-Life Decarbonization
The End is the Beginning: Building Circularity Into Our Global Blueprint
Today’s "build, use, demolish" model locks in waste and emissions, turning our cities into climate liabilities. To break this cycle, we need a two-pronged approach: first, we must extend building lifetimes from decades to centuries by leveraging innovation in durable construction, using materials like corrosion-free rebar and advanced concrete to create structures that are built to last. Second, we must design for easy deconstruction, disassembly, and reuse. That way, when buildings do reach their end, they’re treated as ‘material banks’ rather than demolition sites. The opportunity is immense: while the demolition process accounts for a small amount of a building’s lifecycle emissions, smarter reuse and recycling of its components could deliver carbon benefits equal to a quarter of its entire construction footprint. Combining longevity with circularity will fundamentally change the carbon calculus of the built environment, turning our buildings into lasting assets that store value for generations.
Emissions not estimated by IPCC
Innovation Imperatives
Innovation Imperatives
Critical needs that can help accelerate the path to net zero
Circular Building Systems
Develop materials and methods for construction/deconstruction that enable a high degree of circularity
Most buildings are designed for single use of materials, locking in carbon and generating massive waste at end-of-life. Circular building systems aim to change that by developing modular designs, recyclable or reusable materials (particularly concrete), and deconstruction methods that recover high-value components at scale. Advancing these approaches could dramatically cut embodied emissions, reduce landfill waste, and create new value streams — turning buildings into material banks that support a low-carbon, circular economy.
Extending Building and Infrastructure Lifetimes
Design durable, adaptable structures that last for generations
Today, most buildings and infrastructure are designed with a limited lifespan, locking us into a wasteful cycle of demolition and reconstruction that squanders resources and generates large volumes of emissions. This imperative focuses on creating "heirloom" buildings designed for multigenerational use. To do that, we must innovate the materials at their core, like corrosion-free rebar and advanced concrete, so they’re able to last lifetimes. Alongside material durability, this imperative requires designing for reconfigurability, using modular systems and adaptable layouts that allow a building's interior to evolve over centuries without needing to tear down its carbon-intensive structure. This approach dramatically reduces the lifecycle embodied carbon of our built environment, preserving the massive initial carbon investment and turning our cities into lasting assets rather than disposable commodities.
Tech Categories
Tech Categories
Groupings of climate technologies
| Cluster Name | Readiness | |
|---|---|---|
| Deconstruction | Pilot | |
Deconstruction dismantles buildings to maximize the recovery and reuse of materials, rather than destroying them or sending them to landfills. It lowers emissions by preserving the embodied carbon in building components and reducing the demand for new, emissions-intensive materials. | ||
| Disposal & Reuse | Pilot | |
Disposal and reuse addresses how building materials are managed after buildings are demolished. It uses sustainable strategies to reuse as much as possible and dispose of materials in a way that minimizes carbon emissions. |
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