Decarbonizzazione dei manufatti edilizi: metodologie per la valutazione della Whole Life Carbon e focus sulla fase di fine vita

In recent decades, the dependence of human activities on fossil fuels and linear economic models (produce, use, and throw away) have caused the emission of vast quantities of GreenHouse Gas (GHG) into the atmosphere, causing the rise of the earth’s temperature. In response to climate change, world governments have signed several pacts to reduce GHG emissions and limit temperature rise to 2050 below 1.5°C. In this context, the European Union has shown to be sensitive to environmental issues and a promoter of a network of plans to tackle global warming. Among the main areas of intervention, the construction sector is predominant in pursuing decarbonisation by 2050. Managing and controlling the emissions in the life cycle of a building becomes a pivotal element in reaching decarbonisation’s objectives. It is, therefore, necessary to develop methods and tools for measuring all stages of the life cycle of buildings, from construction to final disposal. The paper deals with some results of the research project “Tool for Decarbonisation”, promoted by the Green Building Council Italy in collaboration with the Department of Architecture and Design of the Politecnico di Torino. The research aims to develop an accounting methodology for the Embodied Carbon in all the stages of a building’s life cycle. The research outcomes contribute to assessing the building’s Whole Life Carbon. Finally, the paper focuses on the final stages of the building’s life cycle, highlighting the complexity of accounting for Embodied Carbon in the End-of-Life stages and the different influences on reducing emissions caused by Construction and Demolition waste.