# New construction is a rising emissions hotspot — how can we change that?

**URL:** https://community.oneclicklca.com/t/new-construction-is-a-rising-emissions-hotspot-how-can-we-change-that/1950
**Category:** Industry News & Reports
**Tags:** building-lca, embodied-carbon
**Created:** [February 11, 2025, 9:46am UTC](https://community.oneclicklca.com/t/new-construction-is-a-rising-emissions-hotspot-how-can-we-change-that/1950 "2025-02-11T09:46:04Z")
**Posts on this page:** 1
**Page:** 1

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### Author: ![Asha](https://dub1.discourse-cdn.com/flex013/user_avatar/community.oneclicklca.com/asha/32/157_2.png) [@Asha](https://community.oneclicklca.com/u/Asha)
#### Post date: [February 11, 2025, 9:46am UTC](https://community.oneclicklca.com/t/new-construction-is-a-rising-emissions-hotspot-how-can-we-change-that/1950/1 "2025-02-11T09:46:04Z")

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The Sufficiency in the Building Sector: for the EU Whole Life Carbon Roadmap (Dec 2024) report highlights sufficiency — maximizing the use of existing buildings before constructing new ones — as a key solution.

Key takeaways:

✅ Renovate first — prioritize reuse over demolition  
✅ Optimize space — adapt buildings for flexible, multi-purpose use  
✅ Design for longevity — ensure buildings can evolve over time

Beyond reducing embodied carbon, sufficiency helps preserve green spaces, limit resource extraction, and curb urban sprawl — all while addressing housing shortages. EU policy is shifting to support these strategies, but more action is needed.

Explore the findings and case studies: [https://build-up.ec.europa.eu/en/resources-and-tools/publications/sufficiency-building-sector-eu-whole-life-carbon-roadmap](https://build-up.ec.europa.eu/en/resources-and-tools/publications/sufficiency-building-sector-eu-whole-life-carbon-roadmap)