Embodied carbon vs operational carbon: What's the difference and why does it matter?

clock • 4 min read

The building sector to take a holistic approach to tackling its climate impact - and that involves looking at both embodied and operational emissions, explains Steve McGregor, group MD of DMA Group

As we head towards the highly anticipated 26th UN Climate Change Conference of the Parties (better known as COP26), the light being shone on net zero has never been brighter. The summit, held in Glasgow...

To continue reading this article...

Join BusinessGreen

In just a few clicks you can start your free BusinessGreen Lite membership for 12 months, providing you access to:

  • Three complimentary articles per month covering the latest real-time news, analysis, and opinion from Europe’s leading source of information on the Green economy and business
  • Receive important and breaking news stories via our daily news alert
  • Our weekly newsletter with the best of the week’s green business news and analysis

Join now

 

Already a BusinessGreen member?

Login

More on Buildings

Winter Olympics 2026: How the Milano Cortina athletes' village became a green building showcase

Winter Olympics 2026: How the Milano Cortina athletes' village became a green building showcase

BusinessGreen explores how a 'fossil-free' building model has not only surpassed regulatory expectations, but offered a blueprint for low-carbon urban development

Stuart Stone
clock 20 February 2026 • 10 min read
UKGBC launches nature-positive built environment framework

UKGBC launches nature-positive built environment framework

New industry-backed guidance seeks to provide clarity on how the built environment can better help halt and reverse nature loss

clock 19 February 2026 • 4 min read
Cold and expensive vs hot, cheap and eco-friendly: The UK's and Sweden's contrasting home heating histories

Cold and expensive vs hot, cheap and eco-friendly: The UK's and Sweden's contrasting home heating histories

Two professors of energy studies – one British, the other Swedish – explore the very different histories of home heating in their countries.

Aimee Ambrose, Sheffield Hallam University, and Jenny Palm, Lund University
clock 18 February 2026 • 18 min read