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Abstract

The construction sector is responsible for more than a third of global greenhouse gas emissions. Nature-based materials have emerged as a promising solution for alternative building design. A key research gap lies in understanding the carbon mitigation potential of nature-based building design in local contexts, given the highly region-specific building designs and applicability. Here we adopt a transparent life cycle assessment (LCA) approach to compare housing typologies specific to three different world regions: Germany, Indonesia, and Bhutan. With first hand data from local partners, we developed whole building life cycle inventories that account for the influences of local building cultures and climatic conditions on design, material selection and implementation. Our results indicate a marked and consistent carbon mitigation potential across three regions, reaching a net carbon reduction potential of 52-66% compared to conventional mineral-based building design, despite varied regional heterogeneity. Materials like timber, hemp, and straw can additionally store carbon and thus through efficient and long-term use can act as carbon sinks. We demonstrate that both the carbon storage capacity and the substitution effect of replacing traditional materials can contribute significantly to carbon reduction when adopting nature-based building designs. The findings demonstrate that utilizing local materials and context-specific approaches, is a viable and regionally adaptable alternative. The evaluated building types reflect realistic construction practices across diverse contexts, highlighting a substantial potential for climate change mitigation.