ASBEC releases embodied carbon roadmap

June 11, 2025

The Australian Sustainable Built Environment Council (ASBEC) has released a policy roadmap to reduce upfront embodied carbon in the built environment.

The roadmap is presented as part of a larger report titled “Our Upfront Opportunity: Australia’s policy roadmap to reduce upfront carbon in the built environment” and provides a comprehensive policy framework aiming to reinforce and amplify government and industry efforts to reduce upfront embodied carbon across buildings and infrastructure.

ASBEC CEO Alison Scotland acknowledges the challenge ahead requires true collaboration in all areas of the built environment value chain.

“There are different levels of engagement and competency within industry, but working collaboratively with government will help scale up progress and take everyone on the journey to net zero,” she says.

“We are focusing on upfront embodied carbon in this project because its impacts are significant, measurable, and verifiable.”

Alison Scotland, ASBEC CEO

“We are focusing on upfront embodied carbon in this project because its impacts are significant, measurable, and verifiable. More importantly, they are occurring on a large scale right now.”

Tackling upfront carbon in the built environment provides immediate emissions savings and significant opportunities for Australian industry. ASBEC says its report outlines policy levers that will help to reduce the upfront embodied carbon of Australia’s built environment in the next 5–10 years.

“While the strategies put in place might differ between commercial property, residential buildings and infrastructure, we share the same value chains and will all achieve benefits from a unified approach,” Scotland says.