Carbon footprint in brazilian civil construction:

A comparison with the world's leading economies

Authors

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.46421/euroelecs.v6.7590

Keywords:

Carbon Footprint, CO2 Emissions, Multiregional Input-Output Model (MRIO), Construction, Brazil

Abstract

This study investigates the carbon footprint associated with civil construction works in Brazil, using the EXIOBASE database and the OpenLCA software with the CML 2001 – baseline method. The analysis is conducted through a multiregional input-output (MRIO) model, focusing on the product "civil construction works" and includes a comparison with the five largest global economies in terms of Gross Domestic Product (China, the United States, Germany, Japan, and India). The results indicate that Brazil’s carbon footprint is 0.97 kgCO2e/EUR, lower than that of China and India, but higher than that of the other countries analyzed. Cement and lime production stands out as the main emission source, followed by direct emissions from construction activities and the use of inputs such as iron and steel. Statistical analysis (ANOVA) revealed that, although there are no statistically significant differences between countries, the variation among emission sources is statistically significant. This study contributes to the understanding of the climate impacts of the construction sector in Brazil and supports the development of strategies aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals.

Author Biographies

Celso Da Silveira Cachola, Universidade de São Paulo (USP)

Doutorando em Ciência Ambiental no Instituto de Energia e Meio Ambiente (IEE) da Universidade de São Paulo (USP). Mestre em Sustentabilidade e especialista em Data Science e Analytics, ambos pela USP. Tecnólogo em Transporte Terrestre e também em Construção Civil – modalidade Edifícios. Possui experiência na área da construção civil, incluindo ensaios laboratoriais, compatibilização de projetos e desenho assistido por computador (AutoCAD e SketchUp). Atua com geoprocessamento por meio do software QGIS, além de realizar inventários de Gases de Efeito Estufa (GEE) e análises de pegada de carbono em diversos setores. Desenvolve projetos de descarbonização com foco na transição energética e na redução de emissões, alinhados às metas da Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi).

Drielli Peyerl, Universidade de Amsterdam

Drielli Peyerl é atualmente pesquisadora no projeto intitulado Transição energética através da lente dos Objetivos de Desenvolvimento Sustentável (ENLENS) na Universidade de Amsterdã. Ela também é pesquisadora colaboradora na Universidade de São Paulo (Instituto de Energia e Meio Ambiente e Centro de Pesquisa para Inovação em Gases de Efeito Estufa), supervisionando alunos de mestrado e doutorado em estudos de transição energética.

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Published

30-09-2025

How to Cite

Da Silveira Cachola, C., & Peyerl, D. (2025). Carbon footprint in brazilian civil construction:: A comparison with the world&#039;s leading economies. Latin American and European Meeting on Sustainable Buildings and Communities, 6(1), 1–11. https://doi.org/10.46421/euroelecs.v6.7590