Buildings as a global carbon sink

Galina Churkina (), Alan Organschi, Christopher P. O. Reyer, Andrew Ruff, Kira Vinke, Zhu Liu, Barbara K. Reck, T. E. Graedel and Hans Joachim Schellnhuber
Additional contact information
Galina Churkina: Yale University
Alan Organschi: Timber City Research Initiative
Christopher P. O. Reyer: Member of the Leibniz Association
Andrew Ruff: Timber City Research Initiative
Kira Vinke: Member of the Leibniz Association
Zhu Liu: Tsinghua University
Barbara K. Reck: Yale University
T. E. Graedel: Yale University
Hans Joachim Schellnhuber: Member of the Leibniz Association

Nature Sustainability, 2020, vol. 3, issue 4, 269-276

Abstract: Abstract The anticipated growth and urbanization of the global population over the next several decades will create a vast demand for the construction of new housing, commercial buildings and accompanying infrastructure. The production of cement, steel and other building materials associated with this wave of construction will become a major source of greenhouse gas emissions. Might it be possible to transform this potential threat to the global climate system into a powerful means to mitigate climate change? To answer this provocative question, we explore the potential of mid-rise urban buildings designed with engineered timber to provide long-term storage of carbon and to avoid the carbon-intensive production of mineral-based construction materials.

Date: 2020
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DOI: 10.1038/s41893-019-0462-4

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