Diverse Coalition of Stakeholders Releases New York Embodied Carbon Action Plan

NEW YORK, NY  – Today the New York Embodied Carbon Working Group, a coalition of diverse industry leaders and subject-matter experts, has released the New York Embodied Carbon Action Plan – a comprehensive set of recommendations and precedents to guide state regulators to develop a plan to reduce emissions from building and infrastructure construction. Over the next 25 years, more than half the emissions from new buildings will come from the materials themselves. As buildings become more efficient, the materials they’re made out of are coming under new focus.

A summary of New York State Embodied Carbon Action Plan recommendations includes:

1. Establish statewide embodied carbon reduction targets. Empower state agencies and industries to address the climate challenge by adopting a statutory reduction requirement statewide.

2. Set embodied carbon reduction requirements for buildings in codes. Establish a long-term strategy for reducing embodied carbon in public and private building projects by setting three compliance pathways for reducing embodied carbon in building or zoning codes.

3. Establish embodied carbon reduction requirements for state agencies’ infrastructure projects. Leverage the large portfolio of the 12 state agencies that oversee construction by requiring them to quantify and track embodied carbon emissions, as well as implementing Envision Certification requirements across relevant state agency projects.  

4. Help manufacturers and suppliers develop low-carbon construction materials. Foster the innovative low-carbon market by implementing a low-carbon product standard, establishing a test center for low-carbon concrete and asphalt mixtures, creating an embodied carbon reduction challenge at the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA), and expanding financing and incentives available to manufacturers.  

5. Incentivize the use of low-carbon construction materials. Financially support producers and users of low-carbon construction materials by providing sales tax exemptions for low-carbon materials, establishing an environmental product declaration (EPD) grant program, and expanding eligibility for the R&D Tax Credit.

6. Encourage localities to address embodied carbon. Provide resources and incentives to encourage localities to implement or pilot portions of state agency policies at the municipal or county levels.

7. Collaborate with industry to drive standardization in the marketplace. Collaborate with industry stakeholders across New York to help reduce embodied carbon by increasing capacity, addressing cost concerns, and coordinating with other efforts to minimize the duplication of efforts—saving the public money and reducing the time and monetary burden on private enterprise. 

The following are quotes from supporters of the Action Plan:

“While the direct impacts of embodied carbon are not visible, the emissions generated from today’s new buildings and infrastructure will last far into the future. As State, County, and Municipal programs make strides in reducing the operational emissions associated with our buildings, these strategies will enable state entities to also reduce the emissions from materials, many of which are no or low cost when compared to standard options,” said Mikhail Haramati, State Industrial Lead, Climate & Energy at NRDC (Natural Resources Defense Council). “Innovation and project development for these building materials supports good-paying New York jobs.”

“As a participant in the development of the New York State Embodied Carbon Action Plan, the MTA is pleased to see the results of this collaborative effort. The MTA is proud to be a leader in reducing the carbon footprint of our construction materials, specifically our use of concrete, and always happy to lead by example in sustainable practices. All parties involved should be congratulated for their dedication to reducing emissions in New York State, and ultimately around the world,” said Thomas Abdallah, Vice President of Design Services and Chief Environmental Engineer at the Metropolitan Transportation Authority.

“New York has demonstrated that climate leadership is about more than reducing operational emissions—it also requires fundamental change in how we build and unbuild. By treating existing buildings as valuable material resources and supporting reuse at scale, this Action Plan charts a practical path to reducing embodied carbon while strengthening local economies and creating green jobs,” said Felix Heisel, Director of the Circular Construction Lab at Cornell University.

“These high-impact strategies, designed to curb embodied carbon and catalyze circular construction, are built upon a foundational economic framework that will revitalize regional commerce and empower New York State neighborhoods to flourish.” said Gretchen Worth, Project Director, Susan Christopherson Center for Community Planning

“The New York Embodied Carbon Action Plan provides a unified roadmap for all professionals who influence our physical surroundings. Our duty spans from the initial decision-making phase—prioritizing renovation and mindful construction—to the very selection of materials. Addressing both architecture and civil engineering, this initiative fulfills that obligation with reality-based tactics. Architecture 2030 is honored to stand with the partnership spearheading this effort,” said Vincent Martinez, CEO of Architecture 2030.

“In our collective fight to reduce the carbon emissions of the building sector, we need all hands on deck. This Embodied Carbon Action Plan for New York is an impressive result from an impressive collaboration that rightfully points towards the critical role of good policy to catalyze emissions reductions. This work promises to be useful beyond the State of New York with other states and municipalities who are seeking effective policies to hit their climate action goals. Congratulations to the partners and participants, and thank you,” said Lindsay Baker, CEO, International Living Future Institute.

"New York has enormous potential to build on the embodied carbon programs established over the past few years — turning what's often an untapped climate solution into real, measurable action. We're thrilled to see this action plan come to fruition with tangible recommendations across the built environment," said Anthony Hickling, Executive Director, Carbon Leadership Forum.

"The inclusion of Envision in the New York State Embodied Carbon Action Plan reflects the understanding that achieving net-zero carbon and delivering broader social and environmental benefits should go hand in hand,” said Anthony Kane, President & CEO, Institute for Sustainable Infrastructure.

“By implementing supportive policies to elevate building material reuse from a mere 1% to just 5%, we could divert 300,000 tons of perceived waste back into the local market as valuable resources. This shift would create 6,000 full-time positions and stimulate more than $2 billion in yearly economic activity across the state. Furthermore, it increases the availability of low-cost supplies, bolsters regional commerce, mitigates pollution, and curbs the carbon intensity of manufacturing by prolonging the utility of existing products,” said Brad Guy, Principal, Material Reuse.

Coalition Background: During the 2025 summer season, the New York Embodied Carbon Working Group was formed to address embodied carbon reduction projects in New York state, amid news of catastrophic cuts to federal programs and funding. A voluntary group, composed of practitioners and technical experts working on embodied carbon in the region, the group released its high-impact near-term recommendations for policy action in September 2025, along with a 10-year vision for New York state. The working group experts include architects, builders, engineers, public sector staff, policy professionals, consultants, contractors, academics, and industry associations.

For more information, visit: Cross-Sector Working Group Releases Embodied Carbon Action Plan for New York State.

NRDC (Natural Resources Defense Council) is an international nonprofit environmental organization with more than 3 million members and online activists. Established in 1970, NRDC uses science, policy, law and people power to confront the climate crisis, protect public health, and safeguard nature. NRDC has offices in New York City, Washington, D.C., Los Angeles, San Francisco, Chicago, Beijing and Delhi (an office of NRDC India Pvt. Ltd).