Biden Rolls Out $2 Billion for Low-Carbon Building Materials

The federal government’s central purchaser and landlord made another big attempt to spur demand for low-carbon construction materials on Monday, unveiling $2 billion for 154 projects that use advanced concrete, steel, glass, and asphalt.

Those four materials account for nearly half of all US manufacturing carbon emissions. But the demand for low-embodied carbon building materials is still growing, so the General Services Administration has been trying for months to lead by example at its own facilities.

The construction and retrofitting projects span 39 states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico. Over the projects’ lifespans, the switch to low-carbon materials ...