From Earth to Wall: A Comparison of Embodied Carbon in Stabilized Earth and Concrete Masonry

The construction industry accounts for nearly 37% of global energy-related carbon emissions, with embodied carbon emerging as a major contributor as operational emissions decline. Cement production alone contributes approximately 8% of global CO₂ emissions, making cement-intensive materials such as Concrete Masonry Units (CMU) environmentally significant.This dissertation quantitatively compares the embodied carbon of Compressed Stabilized Earth Blocks (CSEB) and conventional Concrete Masonry Units (CMU) using a cradle-to-gate Life Cycle Assessment (Modules A1–A3). The functional unit is defined as 1 m² of 200 mm thick load-bearing wall.Results indicate that stabilized earth masonry reduces embodied carbon by approximately 45– 60% compared to concrete masonry under equivalent structural conditions. Cement content is identified as the dominant emission driver.The research demonstrates that material substitution in low-rise construction can serve as a scalable climate mitigation strategy in tropical contexts.