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As the building sector races to meet climate goals, one truth is becoming increasingly clear: reducing operational energy use is not enough. The embodied carbon locked into materials — from concrete to steel to synthetic insulation — represents a massive, often overlooked share of construction’s environmental impact.
In response, architects, engineers, and urban planners are turning to a new frontier: bio-based building materials. These are renewable, low-impact, and in many cases regenerative materials that don’t just minimize harm — they contribute to long-term environmental health.
Bio-based building materials are derived from renewable biological sources, often requiring minimal industrial processing and offering natural carbon sequestration. Examples include:
What unites them isn’t just origin — it’s performance. Many of these materials are fire-resistant, insulative, durable, and structurally sound — all while offering dramatically lower carbon footprints.
According to the Carbon Leadership Forum, embodied carbon makes up nearly 50% of total emissions in new construction over a building’s lifecycle. With global building stock expected to double by 2060, this footprint must be addressed head-on.
Unlike conventional materials, which emit CO₂ during production (e.g. cement, steel, glass), bio-based materials can:
CLT, a high-strength engineered wood product, has gained global traction as a sustainable alternative to concrete and steel in mid-rise and even high-rise buildings.
In Oregon, the Framework building — an 8-story mixed-use tower — demonstrated that CLT can meet fire, seismic, and safety codes while storing over 400 metric tons of CO₂ equivalent in its structure.
Europe has already embraced CLT on a large scale. Now, it’s expanding rapidly in North America and Latin America, especially where forests are sustainably managed.
The International Energy Agency estimates that switching to low-carbon materials could reduce global construction emissions by up to 40% by 2050. But challenges remain:
In regions like Colombia, Chile, and parts of the U.S. Southeast, local governments are piloting green material tax incentives and demonstration projects to accelerate adoption.
At Fresh Assets, we advocate for a regenerative materials mindset. That means choosing not just what works today, but what restores tomorrow. We champion materials that:
This is not aesthetic minimalism — it’s climate realism.
The built environment is both a cause and a solution to the climate crisis. To transform it, we must look beyond operational efficiency and rethink the materials themselves.
Bio-based construction isn’t fringe anymore — it’s foundational.
As cities, investors, and communities demand deeper climate action, the path forward lies in building with what grows, not just what’s mined or manufactured.
Because the buildings of tomorrow must not only shelter life — they must protect the planet.