Impact Factor:3.4

DOI number:10.3390/buildings16142725

Affiliation of Author(s):China University of Mining and Technology

Journal:Buildings

Key Words:critical scoping review; whole-life carbon; embodied carbon; operational carbon; digital MRV; life-cycle assessment; IPMVP; ISO 50001; carbon credits; Singapore Green Mark; ASEAN building decarbonization

Abstract:Background: Buildings and construction account for a substantial share of global energy use, carbon dioxide emissions, and material extraction, making both operational and embodied carbon central to climate-resilient building policy. Methods: This article is framed as a critical scoping review with a structured narrative synthesis. It synthesizes peer-reviewed studies, standards, and policy reports published mainly from 2020 to June 2026, while retaining older foundational standards where they define life-cycle boundaries or verification methods. The counted revision documents a reproducible screened search in OpenAlex plus targeted website and standards searching, with Google Scholar retained only for citation chasing and sensitivity checking; reporting is aligned to PRISMA-ScR and PRISMA-S principles. Results: The evidence shows that operational carbon reduction remains the most immediately measurable pathway through HVAC optimization, envelope improvement, smart energy management systems, and digital measurement, reporting, and verification. However, embodied carbon management through Environmental Product Declarations, material passports, low-carbon procurement, prefabrication, and circularity is necessary to avoid shifting emissions from operation to construction. Contribution: The review develops a four-layer digital life-cycle carbon governance mechanism linking life-cycle boundary setting, data capture, verification and assurance, and policy-market conversion. Singapore pathway: Singapore’s five-phase pathway is repositioned as an operational carbon MRV entry point that must be expanded to whole-life carbon through embodied carbon datasets, EPD-based procurement, and ASEAN-specific localization. The revised pathway identifies implementation risks, including data governance, additionality, double-counting, auditor capacity, SME access, market liquidity, and cross-country transferability. Conclusions: Digital MRV and carbon-market mechanisms can accelerate building decarbonization only when they are coupled with whole-life carbon boundaries, embodied carbon safeguards, transparent review methods, and context-specific financing.

Indexed by:Journal paper

Document Code:2725

Discipline:Interdisciplinary

First-Level Discipline:智能科学与技术

Document Type:J

Volume:16

Issue:14

Translation or Not:no

Date of Publication:2026-07-09

Included Journals:SCI、EI