New York State Embodied Carbon Near-Term Recommendations

AIANY, alongside more than 50 professionals from the public sector, non-profits, design professionals, academics, and consultants, formed the New York State Embodied Carbon Working Group to identify high-impact, near-term policy recommendations to reduce embodied carbon across New York State’s built environment— the emissions and environment associated with the production, transportation, installation, maintenance, and disposal of construction materials.

This document provides a strategic summary of the vision and near-term recommendations of our forthcoming Action Plan, which will inform policymakers on practical pathways to achieve New York State’s ambitious climate goals, foster innovation, create jobs, and build healthier, more resilient communities. Complementing additional efforts already underway by state and local entities — such as New York State Office of General Services (OGS) Executive Order 22 Embodied Carbon Guidance and New York State Homes and Community Renewal 2025 Sustainability Guidelines— these recommendations are impactful, actionable in the near future, and foundational to the overarching vision. They represent a subset of what is needed to transform the way building materials are used in New York State.

This approach is organized into three interconnected strategies: providing upfront financial support, scaling up requirements in codes, and shifting towards waste reduction and reuse.