The largest wave of urban growth in human history is expected to double the global building floor area by 2060. Approximately 2.4 trillion sq. feet of new floor area will be added—the equivalent of adding another New York City to the world every month for 40 years. Unlike operational carbon emissions (heating, cooling, etc.), which can be reduced over time with upgrades, the embodied carbon emissions (from materials, processing and construction) are locked in by the time the building is com...
