Worldwide, the building sector contributes up to 30% of global annual greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, which are a significant cause of climate change. The UN Environment Programme says these emissions could double in the next 20 years if nothing is done.1 In Canada, the building sector accounts for about 12% of total GHG emissions – only the oil and gas and the transportation sectors have higher emissions.2 Concerns about climate change are encouraging decarbonization of the building sector, including the use of construction materials responsible for fewer carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions and improvements in operational performance over the life cycle of buildings.