Even before projects reach the shovel-ready phase, a “business as usual” mindset can stunt sustainability goals, says John Delaney, sustainability director at Beyer Blinder Belle Architects & Planners. While owners consider project costs in dollars and cents, “carbon cost” adds another standard to how they can think more green, he says.

Materials and supply chain decisions that have “the most impact on carbon cost” often come early in the design process, says Delaney, “so more effort and rigor must be allocated to this stage.” To do so, owners, designers, contractors and subcontracting partners must understand how greenhouse gas emissions generated during production, transportation, installation and disposal of building materials, known as embodied carbon, can affect the carbon footprint throughout a project’s lifecycle.