The Associated General Contractors of America released April 22 a new, first-of-its-kind decarbonization playbook designed to help firms assess, track and reduce greenhouse gas emissions for the projects they build. The new resource, titled The AGC Playbook on Decarbonization and Carbon Reporting in the Construction Industry, is part of the association’s broader efforts to make sure construction firms play a leading role in crafting carbon-reduction measures for the industry.

“This new tool will help firms understand the basics of tracking carbon emissions, including who is responsible for those emissions, how to track them and what are the best ways to cut them,” said Jeff Shoaf, chief executive officer of the Associated General Contractors of America. “This is the first document of its kind written by contractors, for contractors, to help them assess the impacts of the projects they are hired to build.”

The new resource outlines a four-step process firms can follow to work with partners to confirm who should be accountable for various carbon emissions associated with a construction project. It also outlines how to document who is accountable for those emissions to limit surprises and risks for everyone involved in a construction project.

The decarbonization playbook also includes resources to help firms calculate the carbon footprint of their projects. This includes the carbon emissions related to the manufacture of key project materials, like concrete, steel, asphalt and flat glass. It also lays out ways for firms to track and report emissions related to the construction process itself, including carbon emissions from transporting materials and operating equipment on the job site.

In addition, the document offers a host of industry-identified strategies and tips for reducing carbon emissions from their projects, from proposing alternative, less carbon-intensive materials to ways to operate more efficient job sites.

The playbook was written by a task force the association established in early 2023. Representatives from AGC member-firms worked for the last year to develop the new decarbonization playbook. The association released the text of the report on April 22 and will distribute the report to all members by the end of the month.

In addition to the playbook, the association continues to make resources available to members and share proposals with policymakers about the best ways to reduce carbon emissions from the built environment. “Our goal is to make sure our members have clear, actionable and replicable resources to understand their responsibilities, measure the impacts of their projects and operate as efficiently as possible,” Shoaf added.