An Embodied Carbon Iceberg Lies Under Our Homes and Buildings

In much of North America, houses are built with concrete basements that are often delivered as unfinished spaces used for storage. And if they are finished, they are often second-rate spaces with low ceilings, tiny windows, and poor air quality. It’s a big load of concrete and foam that nobody sees, that lies beneath the surface, contributing to the upfront carbon emissions that may sink us all.

That’s why I was surprised, once again, by a recent post where Builders for Climate Action calculated that 35.5% of the carbon emissions from homes were from the concrete that forms the footings, foundation walls, and slabs that make up the basement and hold up the house. Another 15% is in the insulation, much of which is rigid foam wrapping the basement. As much as 50% of the carbon footprint of the house is unseen, below grade. An earlier EMBARC study of houses in Ontario, Canada, put it at 60%.