INGENIEUR
Figure 4 : Projected GHG emissions for the construction industry in Malaysia for ( 2020 to 2050 )
year 2050 ( see Figure 4 ) if no mitigation efforts are implemented .
GHG Reduction Target Assessment As shown above , the embodied carbon in construction material contributes up to 90 % of the total GHG emissions ( cradle-to-site ). Thus , considering the impact of proposed mitigation strategies , it is suggested that the Government focus on GHG mitigation efforts relating to developing and adopting low carbon construction materials .
When low carbon construction materials are introduced in the initial building design of the construction projects the whole constructed facility ’ s total GHG emissions can be efficiently controlled and reduced . A practical mechanism is through the adoption of low carbon construction material labelling , which involves the measurement of the embodied carbon from the extraction , production , and final product ( cradleto-gate ).
Based on the average GHG emissions calculation from the year 2017 to 2019 , the five construction materials listed below are the major GHG emitters , contributing approximate 92 % of the total embodied carbon emissions :
● Ready-mixed concrete ;
● Steel reinforcement ;
● Bricks ;
● Cement ; and
● Steel and metal .
Conclusion and Recommendations
Based on this study , the average GHG emissions from cradle-to-site throughout the years 2017 to 2019 was 76 million tCO 2
eq , which is equivalent to around a quarter ( 24 %) of the total national GHG emissions .
The majority of the cradle-to-site emissions comes from the embodied carbon of the construction material ( 90 %). The construction site emissions contribute another 7 % while the remaining 3 % is due to the transportation of construction material . The projection of GHG emissions shows that by the year 2050 , the baseline emission ( business as usual ) will grow by 92 % if no mitigation measures are put in place .
To achieve the 4 million tCO 2 eq . emission reduction target set under the CITP , it is recommended to focus on the embodied carbon of construction material as it contributes approximately 90 % of the total GHG emissions . It can be narrowed down to the five major GHG contributors , i . e ., ready mixed concrete , steel reinforcement , bricks , cement ( finishes ), and steel
44 VOL 88 OCTOBER-DECEMBER 2021