A Study and assessment of Carbon Footprint of Construction Industry and Current Methods of Estimation for Carbon Emission

We know that Climate change is a global concern now among all the countries. The effect can be seen all over the globe through rise in the earth temperature year by year and man’s anthropogenic activities is a major contributor. Most of countries has agreed on target for Net Zero Emission by 2050. The Construction field is one of the areas that contribute most to the emission of Green House Gases (GHGs). Consequently, it is almost a protagonist in our heavy carbon footprints. This issue is related to the emission of polluting gases that accelerate global warming through burning of fossil fuel for generation of energy for various human activities. This means that Construction has a potential to contribute minimizing this damage. In this report we will explore the concept of Carbon footprint, what it is, why several countries are committed to reduce it, how to calculate it, what are the ways construction can collaborate with it. The Carbon assessment is done to find an empirical method to estimate the Carbon Dioxide (CO2) emission based on four selected projects of highway construction. By dividing the construction period into three stages: material production stage, material transportation and onsite construction. The results show that the major Carbon emission was generated from the material production, secondly from onsite construction, and transportation stage accounted for the least. Also, finding the ways to minimize carbon impact through selection of alternate material types and general awareness in the industry We will be discussing on the methods, tools and techniques currently available in the industry and future scope of improvements.