Reasons for the slow uptake of embodied carbon
estimation in the Sri Lankan building sector

Nawarathna, A; Fernando, N; Alwan, Z

Abstract

Global carbon reduction is not merely a responsibility
of environmentally advanced developed countries, but also a
responsibility of developing countries regardless of their less impact on global carbon emissions. In recognition of that, Sri Lanka as a developing country has initiated promoting green building construction as one reduction strategy. However, notwithstanding the increasing attention on Embodied Carbon (EC) reduction in the global building sector, they still mostly focus on Operational Carbon (OC) reduction (through improving operational energy). An adequate attention has not yet been given on EC estimation and reduction.
Therefore, this study aims to identify the reasons for the slow uptake
of EC estimation in the Sri Lankan building sector. To achieve this
aim, 16 numbers of global barriers to estimate EC were identified
through existing literature. They were then subjected to a pilot survey to identify the significant reasons for the slow uptake of EC
estimation in the Sri Lankan building sector. A questionnaire with a three-point Likert scale was used to this end. The collected data were analysed using descriptive statistics. The findings revealed that 11 of 16 challenges/ barriers are highly relevant as reasons for the slow uptake in estimating EC in buildings in Sri Lanka while the other five challenges/ barriers remain as moderately relevant reasons. Further, the findings revealed that there are no low relevant reasons.Eventually, the paper concluded that all the known reasons are significant to the Sri Lankan building sector and it is necessary to address them in order to upturn the attention on EC reduction.
Keywords — Embodied carbon emissions, embodied carbon
estimation, global carbon reduction, Sri Lankan building sector

Citation

estimation in the Sri Lankan building sector. https://doi.org/10.1999/1307-6892/10008556

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Online Publication Date: Feb 1, 2018
• Publication Date: Feb 1, 2018
• Deposit Date: Sep 3, 2018
• Publicly Available Date: Sep 3, 2018
• Journal: World Academy of Science, Engineering and Technology : International Journal of Civil and Environmental Engineering
• Electronic ISSN: 1000-8556
• Volume: 12
• Issue: 2
• Pages: 102-107
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1999/1307-6892/10008556
• Publisher URL: https://waset.org/Publication/reasons-for-the-slow-uptake-of-embodied-carbon-estimation-in-the-sri-lankan-building-sector/10008556
• Related Public URLs: https://waset.org/Publications