Embodied Carbon as a Material Selection Criterion: Insights from Sri Lankan Construction Sector

Amalka Nawarathna, Muditha Siriwardana and Zaid Alwan
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Amalka Nawarathna: Department of Architecture and Built Environment, Northumbria University, Newcastle Upon Tyne NE1 8ST, UK
Muditha Siriwardana: Department of Mechanical and Construction Engineering, Northumbria University, Newcastle Upon Tyne NE1 8ST, UK
Zaid Alwan: Department of Architecture and Built Environment, Northumbria University, Newcastle Upon Tyne NE1 8ST, UK

Sustainability, 2021, vol. 13, issue 4, 1-19

Abstract: The choice of materials is crucial in responding to the increasing embodied carbon (EC) impacts of buildings. Building professionals involved in material selection for construction projects have a vital role to play in this regard. This paper aimed to explore the extent to which building professionals in Sri Lanka considered EC as a material selection criterion. A questionnaire survey was conducted among a sample of building professionals in Sri Lanka. The results indicated that the consideration of EC as a material selection criterion remained low among key professionals, such as architects, engineers, and sustainability managers, despite their reasonable influencing powers and knowledge of EC. Those respondents who had considered EC as a selection criterion said they had been primarily driven by green building rating systems and previous experience. Those respondents who had not considered EC during material selection commonly reported that they had been prevented from doing so by the lack of regulations and the lack of alternative low carbon materials. Respondents believed that the involvement of actors, such as the government, professional bodies, environmental organizations, activist groups, and the public, may be significant in promoting the greater consideration of EC during material selection.

Keywords: embodied carbon emission; material selection; building professionals; Sri Lanka (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (2)

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