To determine how to lessen the climate impact in the short and long term, researchers in Sweden took a comprehensive look at a highway project and its associated supply chains.
Like other types of construction, from residential to railway, building roads profoundly impacts climate.
Overall, the construction sector accounts for about one-quarter of global carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions. The main contributing factors are the manufacture of carbon-intense structural materials, such as steel and cement, and heavy transport needed to bring materials on site.
With energy and climate performance improving on the user side of the built environment, attention has shifted to the impact of the construction process itself.