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Background and aim. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) reported in 2019 that the building sector accounts for 21% of global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, with 18% originating from producing construction materials such as cement and steel. This highlights the urgent need to address embodied carbon in construction to align with climate goals. This study examines the potential of reusing structural materials, primarily concrete elements, to significantly reduce embodied emissions in the construction sector, which has increasingly focused on embodied carbon alongside operational energy efficiency.

Methods and Data. A lifecycle analysis compared the Global Warming Potential (GWP) of concrete elements reclaimed from an old building, conventional concrete, and timber construction for the structural frame of a row house.

Findings. Reclaimed concrete demonstrated the lowest GWP, achieving a 77% reduction compared to traditional concrete and surpassing timber. These findings indicate that reclaimed concrete elements can rival timber as a sustainable building material.

Theoretical / Practical / Societal implications. Prioritizing sustainable material choices and resource efficiency is crucial for the construction sector to meet increasingly stringent global climate targets. This study emphasizes the importance of reusing structural materials to lower carbon emissions during construction, contributing to a more sustainable built environment.