Ecuador already has a baseline of greenhouse gas emissions generated by the construction industry. The results of this study was presented by the Ministry of Urban Development and Housing (Ministerio de Desarrollo Urbano y Vivienda – MIDUVI) during the event ‘Industria de la construcción y oportunidades de mitigación en Ecuador (Construction industry and mitigation opportunities in Ecuador)’.

On 13 April 2023, the Ministry of Urban Development and Housing (MIDUVI) officially presented the results of the consultancy for the baseline survey of greenhouse gas emissions generated by the construction industry in Ecuador.

This study, carried out with the support of the Strengthening Capacities for Energy Efficiency in buildings in Latin America (CEELA) project, and worked together with the specialist’s team of the Ministry of Environment, Water and Ecological Transition of Ecuador (MAATE), identifies and highlights certain, in construction and various projects in the country most used building materials, such as steel, cement, brick, concrete, and glass.

Another interesting finding is that operational carbon emissions are higher than embodied carbon emissions. The life cycle of a building takes into account the embodied carbon in the construction materials and processes, as well as the operational carbon derived from the functioning of the building as such. Emissions of the latter, which were the highest, are related to aspects such as heating and cooling.

It was a good opportunity to highlight the need to encourage and promote sustainable development in the country, starting with buildings carbon footprint measurement and reporting, as well as the search for new actions to facilitate access to formal, low-carbon and sustainable housing. Gabriela Aguilera, Ecuador’s Minister of Urban Development and Housing said: “It is necessary to transform the country towards the ecological transition, and, from the construction sector, contribute to the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions and apply it in our work methodologies”.

The life cycle of a building takes into account the embodied carbon in the construction materials and processes, as well as the operational carbon derived from the functioning of the building as such. Through this study, it was possible to determine that, in Ecuador, operational carbon emissions (heating, cooling, food, water supply, etc.) are higher than embodied carbon emissions. The specific percentages can be seen in the infographic: (imagen):

It is worth mentioning that, in addition to the financial support for the research, the CEELA project supported through technical assistance and support to the two most relevant State ministries in terms of emissions reduction: the Ministry of Urban Development and Housing (MIDUVI), and the Ministry of Water and Ecological Transition (MAATE), which allowed the design of actions to reduce emissions in the construction sector.

After the formal part of the event, the participants were invited to participate in two technical workshops. In one of them, the results of the consultancy were discussed in depth, and in the other, proposals for adjustments to the Energy Efficiency Chapter of the Ecuadorian Construction Standard were presented, which aims to facilitate its implementation at national level. Through these workshops, feedback was obtained from the participating technicians and experts, which is an exercise of public consultation through which the CEELA Project permanently seeks to adapt to the conditions of each country and contribute to the sector’s concrete needs.

Among the highlights of this meeting are the signing of the results by the highest authorities of the Ministry of Environment, Water and Ecological Transition and the Ministry of Urban Development and Housing, as well as their commitment to promote sustainable urban development in Ecuador through the implementation of comprehensive and collectively built public policies.

Source: CEELA project / Futuro Latinoamericano

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