LCA-based environmental impacts outlook towards the future of construction in emerging countries

The construction sector is globally acknowledged as carbon-intensive, prompting urgent action especially in BRICS countries due to the high-contribute and continuous urban growth. Here, advocating for sustainable practices throughout the entire building life cycle is imperative, for extending building lifespans without locking in operational energy inefficiencies and using construction materials and techniques geared to resource efficiency and circularity. Following the hotspots prioritization, life cycle perspective and stepwise approach, the paper offers thus a preliminary exploration on low-carbon projection scenarios for the construction value chain, focusing on China as leading CO2 emitter. Top priority is directed towards cement/concrete supply chain, delving into the increasing recycled material content during production, the implementation of prefabrication construction, and the adoption of environmentally responsible practice for managing waste at the end of life. The percentage shares on the global carbon emissions make evidence of potential for reducing environmental impacts by switching from standard to the basic sustainable practices commonly pursued to achieve carbon neutrality targets. Findings do not pretend to be exhaustive (detailed analysis are needed), but rather prompt action towards the shift in mindset and market transition, notifying increased responsibility to stakeholders and LCA as a powerful decision-making support.