Embodied Carbon Legislation (BCCA): Three Best Practices for Project Success


BY JACOUB YOUNES AND MERSY MARADIAGA, TURNER CONSTRUCTION COMPANY


1. Verify Compliance Early in Design Confirm during design that specified products meet BCCA Global Warming Poten- tial (GWP) limits and have compliant Type III Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs). Early verification helps avoid redesign, procurement delays, and cost impacts caused by limited availability of compliant materials. Project teams should also identify the applicable BCCA thresholds, align with the Authority Having Juris- diction (AHJ), and account for manufacturer EPD lead times.


2. Establish Clear Compliance Processes Before Procurement Successful BCCA implementation requires defined responsibilities and consistent review procedures. Incorporate BCCA requirements into contract documents, trade partner onboarding, and submittal workflows. Align all project require- ments—including BCCA, LEED, and owner criteria—to the most stringent GWP thresholds and ensure all stakeholders understand compliance expectations before materials are purchased.


3. Verify Materials Throughout Construction Compliance does not end with submittal approval. Use tools such as EC3, EPD tracking matrices, and purchase order reviews to verify that procured materials match approved EPDs and manufacturing facilities. Regular coordination among contractors, consultants, and trade partners helps identify issues early and pre- vents noncompliant materials from being installed in the field.


Material Packaging Strategies Material packaging and handling is an- other area where incremental changes are yielding positive results. Standard practices have long priori-


tized reliability and protection of materials in transit. Now, many teams are building on that foundation by exploring ways to reduce waste and improve efficiency. Reusable packaging systems and op-


timized material deliveries are helping to minimize jobsite waste while maintaining high standards of quality and safety. Many curtainwalls and precast panels have the potential for shipment in reusable steel


bunkers in lieu of wood crates. Plastic shrink wrap can be replaced by steel banding or reusable tarps, if planned appropriately. If wood crating must be used, the proj-


ect team can request more dimensional lumber be used, so as to salvage those pieces for distribution to reuse centers like Urban Ore in Berkeley, or your local Habitat for Humanity ReStore.


Design for Deconstruction Interest in design for deconstruction is also growing. While it has not yet become a standard requirement on most projects,


it is increasingly considered as part of long-term asset planning. By considering how materials can be disassembled and reused at the end of a building’s life, project teams are laying the groundwork for a more circular con- struction economy. Early steps, such as documenting material assemblies and considering connection strategies, can pro- vide valuable information for future reuse. Te ideal goal is to be able to reuse the system in its whole form; however, allow- ing the system to be deconstructed into individual constituents for appropriate recycling or reuse is the more likely sce- nario, and becomes the most likely path to avoiding landfill. Te preconstruction meetings discuss the development of disassembly drawings or procedures to be shared in closeout documentation for the building owner’s future use. As building owners continue to seek


lower carbon solutions for their buildings, it is clear that siloed conversations and words on a BOD can only get the industry to a certain point. Incorporating the entire supply chain—client, designer, GC, trade partners, vendors, and logistics compa- nies—to challenge the status quo presents great opportunities for our industry. As contractors managing design-build


projects and design-build scopes, we are contractually given agency to make an impact. It is critical, then, for our industry to use that agency to think be- yond the linear process, discuss poten- tially innovative solutions, and scale up our ability to drive down emissions.


Brett Stuckey


Brett Stuckey is Regional Sustainability Manager for Turner Construction Company’s NorCal region.


CALIFORNIA CONSTRUCTOR JULY/AUGUST 2026


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