Embodied Carbon

Structural-level
carbon reduction.
Not offsets.

Every above-grade concrete pour eliminated by the Girder-Slab® system is a direct reduction in process emissions — not a credit, not a certificate. The structural advantage is built in.

Why the numbers are this large

Concrete is 8% of global CO₂.
Every pour you eliminate matters.

The built environment is responsible for 39% of global GHG emissions. Structural systems account for roughly 80% of a building’s embodied carbon. This is not an envelope problem — it requires a structural solution.

 

Embodied Carbon — Relative Comparison
Conventional Cast-in-Place Concrete High
91

Concrete production accounts for roughly 8% of global CO₂ emissions. No recycled content in ready-mix concrete; the Portland cement calcination process is emissions-intensive by design.

Girder-Slab® Structural Steel + Precast Lower
37

Structural steel carries 93%+ recycled content. Electric arc furnace production reduces process emissions further. No above-grade concrete pours in the structural system.

 

Schematic index — illustrative of relative magnitude, not absolute CO₂ per kg.
Sources: IEA Global Status Report 2023 · Edmonton Airport Hotel Impact Analysis · CS3 Project Data

Recycled Content
93%+

Recycled content in structural steel — higher than any concrete system by design. EAF production available from most domestic mills.

Above-Grade Pours
0

Concrete pours above grade eliminated from the structural system entirely. Weather is off the critical path by design.

Certification
LEED

BREEAM and embodied carbon ordinance compatible. CS3 provides material specs, recycled content documentation, and embodied carbon comparisons for submissions.

Steel Process
EAF

Electric arc furnace steel available from most domestic mills — the lowest process emissions option for structural steel production.

Certification Compatability

Built for requirements your
lenders are already asking about.

LEED

LEED v4 Materials & Resources

Recycled content of structural steel contributes directly to LEED MR credits. EAF-produced steel maximizes Regional Materials and Recycled Content categories. CS3 provides material data for LEED documentation.

BREEAM

BREEAM Materials Category

Girder-Slab® structural steel qualifies for BREEAM Materials credits under responsible sourcing and lifecycle impact criteria. Applicable to projects in Canada and international markets.

Local Ordinances

Whole Building LCA Compliance

As embodied carbon ordinances expand across major U.S. metros, the structural system choice becomes a compliance variable. Girder-Slab® provides a structural-level advantage that envelope optimization alone cannot achieve.

Request carbon data
for your project.

CS3 provides material specs, recycled content documentation, and embodied carbon comparisons for LEED, BREEAM, or local ordinance submissions.