Industry, Materials, and Waste Management

Buy Clean Requirements

Buy Clean standards, also known as embodied carbon standards, represent a procurement policy approach that incorporates low-carbon requirements into construction purchases. These requirements address the greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from embodied carbon in materials purchased by governments for public infrastructure projects. Embodied carbon refers to the GHG emissions generated during the extraction, manufacturing, transportation, installation, and end-of-life phases of construction materials used for buildings, roads, and other infrastructure. To quantify the embodied carbon of materials, a life cycle assessment is conducted to track the GHG emissions produced over the life cycle of a product.

Buy Clean policies use a combination of disclosure, incentives, and standards to leverage the significant purchasing power of public agencies to encourage a shift toward low-carbon options in the broader construction materials market. Buy Clean is an approach that can be applied at the federal, state, or local level, and can also be used by private building owners.

Request Policy Assistance

Glossary of Terms

States with Policy Enacted

In Progress

Partially Enacted

See States List

Key Resources

Glossary of Terms

Embodied Carbon Policy Toolkit

A collection of resources on embodied carbon policies and guidelines to support state-level development and implementation of these policies.

2024

Source:

Carbon Leadership Forum

Federal Buy Clean Initiative

A webpage with information on the Federal Buy Clean Initiative, the Buy Clean Task Force, and the Federal-State Buy Clean Partnership

2024

Source:

Office of the Federal Chief Sustainability Officer (CSO)

Guidance on Implementing Low-Carbon Construction Material Policies and Limits on Public Projects

A report that summarizes guidance for government agencies responsible for implementing policies that integrate greenhouse gas reduction requirements into their procurement of construction materials.

2022

Source:

Carbon Leadership Forum

Buy Clean in States

A policy tracker of the states that have implemented or in the process of developing Buy Clean policies.

2022

Source:

BlueGreen Alliance

Model States

Glossary of Terms

California

State agencies must consider the emissions performance of suppliers when procuring steel, flat glass, and mineral wool insulation for state infrastructure projects.

The state must achieve a 40% reduction in cement emissions by 2035, and net-zero by 2045, relative to 2019 levels.

CARB must also develop a framework for measuring and reducing the embodied carbon of building construction materials, primarily at the materials production stage, and can utilize an embodied carbon trading system as a potential path to achieve the required GHG reductions.

2021

Establishing Policies

Colorado

Public construction projects must meet clear environmental criteria for the use of seven common construction materials, such as cement, glass, and steel.

Colorado also has a sales and use tax exemption for low-emission building materials, including green concrete, recycled steel and composite wood products.

2022

Establishing Policies

New York

The Office of General Services established guidelines for the procurement of low embodied carbon concrete and requires the state to set an emissions standard for concrete used in public works.

2021

Establishing Policies

Washington

The state has funded the creation of a database to track building materials purchased for state-funded infrastructure projects and two large Buy Clean and Buy Fair pilot projects.

State contractors must report on large construction projects, including suppliers’ declarations on environmental, health, and working conditions for covered products, such as concrete, steel, and engineered wood. The Department of Commerce must convene a working group to recommend policies to increase production and use of low-carbon construction materials.

2024

Establishing Policies

Glossary of Terms

Filters

Status	State Sort descending	Region	YR Enacted
Not Enacted	Alabama Empty column Buy clean requirements mandate or incentivize the use of low-carbon construction materials, such as concrete and steel, in public projects to address embodied carbon. Empty column	Southeast
Not Enacted	Alaska Empty column Buy clean requirements mandate or incentivize the use of low-carbon construction materials, such as concrete and steel, in public projects to address embodied carbon. Empty column	West
Not Enacted	Arizona Empty column Buy clean requirements mandate or incentivize the use of low-carbon construction materials, such as concrete and steel, in public projects to address embodied carbon. Empty column	Southwest
Not Enacted	Arkansas Empty column Buy clean requirements mandate or incentivize the use of low-carbon construction materials, such as concrete and steel, in public projects to address embodied carbon. Empty column	Southeast
Enacted	California Empty column State agencies must consider the emissions performance of suppliers when procuring steel, flat glass, and mineral wool insulation for state infrastructure projects. The state must achieve a 40% reduction in cement emissions by 2035, and net-zero by 2045, relative to 2019 levels. CARB must also develop a framework for measuring and reducing the embodied carbon of building construction materials, primarily at the materials production stage, and can utilize an embodied carbon trading system as a potential path to achieve the required GHG reductions. Establishing Policies AB 262 (2017) SB 596 (2021) AB 2446 (2022) AB 43 (2023) Empty column	West	2021
Enacted	Colorado Empty column Public construction projects must meet clear environmental criteria for the use of seven common construction materials, such as cement, glass, and steel. Colorado also has a sales and use tax exemption for low-emission building materials, including green concrete, recycled steel and composite wood products. Establishing Policies HB 21-1303 (2021) SB 22-051 (2022) Empty column	West	2022
Not Enacted	Connecticut Empty column Buy clean requirements mandate or incentivize the use of low-carbon construction materials, such as concrete and steel, in public projects to address embodied carbon. Empty column	Northeast
Not Enacted	Delaware Empty column Buy clean requirements mandate or incentivize the use of low-carbon construction materials, such as concrete and steel, in public projects to address embodied carbon. Empty column	Southeast
Not Enacted	Florida Empty column Buy clean requirements mandate or incentivize the use of low-carbon construction materials, such as concrete and steel, in public projects to address embodied carbon. Empty column	Southeast
Not Enacted	Georgia Empty column Buy clean requirements mandate or incentivize the use of low-carbon construction materials, such as concrete and steel, in public projects to address embodied carbon. Empty column	Southeast
Not Enacted	Hawai‘i Empty column Buy clean requirements mandate or incentivize the use of low-carbon construction materials, such as concrete and steel, in public projects to address embodied carbon. Empty column	West
Not Enacted	Idaho Empty column Buy clean requirements mandate or incentivize the use of low-carbon construction materials, such as concrete and steel, in public projects to address embodied carbon. Empty column	West
Not Enacted	Illinois Empty column Buy clean requirements mandate or incentivize the use of low-carbon construction materials, such as concrete and steel, in public projects to address embodied carbon. Empty column	Midwest
Not Enacted	Indiana Empty column Buy clean requirements mandate or incentivize the use of low-carbon construction materials, such as concrete and steel, in public projects to address embodied carbon. Empty column	Midwest
Not Enacted	Iowa Empty column Buy clean requirements mandate or incentivize the use of low-carbon construction materials, such as concrete and steel, in public projects to address embodied carbon. Empty column	Midwest
Not Enacted	Kansas Empty column Buy clean requirements mandate or incentivize the use of low-carbon construction materials, such as concrete and steel, in public projects to address embodied carbon. Empty column	Midwest
Not Enacted	Kentucky Empty column Buy clean requirements mandate or incentivize the use of low-carbon construction materials, such as concrete and steel, in public projects to address embodied carbon. Empty column	Southeast
Not Enacted	Louisiana Empty column Buy clean requirements mandate or incentivize the use of low-carbon construction materials, such as concrete and steel, in public projects to address embodied carbon. Empty column	Southeast
Not Enacted	Maine Empty column Buy clean requirements mandate or incentivize the use of low-carbon construction materials, such as concrete and steel, in public projects to address embodied carbon. Empty column	Northeast
Not Enacted	Maryland Empty column Buy clean requirements mandate or incentivize the use of low-carbon construction materials, such as concrete and steel, in public projects to address embodied carbon. Empty column	Southeast
Not Enacted	Massachusetts Empty column Buy clean requirements mandate or incentivize the use of low-carbon construction materials, such as concrete and steel, in public projects to address embodied carbon. Empty column	Northeast
Not Enacted	Michigan Empty column Buy clean requirements mandate or incentivize the use of low-carbon construction materials, such as concrete and steel, in public projects to address embodied carbon. Empty column	Midwest
Enacted	Minnesota Empty column The Environmental Standards Procurement Task Force is responsible for examining the implementation of a program requiring vendors of the state to measure, report, and limit the lifecycle greenhouse gas impact of certain construction materials. Establishing Policies HF 2310 (2023) Environmental Standards Procurement Task Force Empty column	Midwest	2023
Not Enacted	Mississippi Empty column Buy clean requirements mandate or incentivize the use of low-carbon construction materials, such as concrete and steel, in public projects to address embodied carbon. Empty column	Southeast
Not Enacted	Missouri Empty column Buy clean requirements mandate or incentivize the use of low-carbon construction materials, such as concrete and steel, in public projects to address embodied carbon. Empty column	Midwest
Not Enacted	Montana Empty column Buy clean requirements mandate or incentivize the use of low-carbon construction materials, such as concrete and steel, in public projects to address embodied carbon. Empty column	West
Not Enacted	Nebraska Empty column Buy clean requirements mandate or incentivize the use of low-carbon construction materials, such as concrete and steel, in public projects to address embodied carbon. Empty column	Midwest
Not Enacted	Nevada Empty column Buy clean requirements mandate or incentivize the use of low-carbon construction materials, such as concrete and steel, in public projects to address embodied carbon. Empty column	West
Not Enacted	New Hampshire Empty column Buy clean requirements mandate or incentivize the use of low-carbon construction materials, such as concrete and steel, in public projects to address embodied carbon. Empty column	Northeast
Not Enacted	New Jersey Empty column Buy clean requirements mandate or incentivize the use of low-carbon construction materials, such as concrete and steel, in public projects to address embodied carbon. Empty column	Northeast
Not Enacted	New Mexico Empty column Buy clean requirements mandate or incentivize the use of low-carbon construction materials, such as concrete and steel, in public projects to address embodied carbon. Empty column	Southwest
Enacted	New York Empty column The Office of General Services established guidelines for the procurement of low embodied carbon concrete and requires the state to set an emissions standard for concrete used in public works. Establishing Policies A2591A (2021) NYS Buy Clean Concrete Guidelines Empty column	Northeast	2021
Not Enacted	North Carolina Empty column Buy clean requirements mandate or incentivize the use of low-carbon construction materials, such as concrete and steel, in public projects to address embodied carbon. Empty column	Southeast
Not Enacted	North Dakota Empty column Buy clean requirements mandate or incentivize the use of low-carbon construction materials, such as concrete and steel, in public projects to address embodied carbon. Empty column	Midwest
Not Enacted	Ohio Empty column Buy clean requirements mandate or incentivize the use of low-carbon construction materials, such as concrete and steel, in public projects to address embodied carbon. Empty column	Midwest
Not Enacted	Oklahoma Empty column Buy clean requirements mandate or incentivize the use of low-carbon construction materials, such as concrete and steel, in public projects to address embodied carbon. Empty column	Southwest
Enacted	Oregon Empty column State regulators must conduct life cycle assessments for select construction and maintenance materials used for public infrastructure projects. Establishing Policies HB 4139 (2022) Empty column	West	2022
Not Enacted	Pennsylvania Empty column Buy clean requirements mandate or incentivize the use of low-carbon construction materials, such as concrete and steel, in public projects to address embodied carbon. Empty column	Northeast
Not Enacted	Rhode Island Empty column Buy clean requirements mandate or incentivize the use of low-carbon construction materials, such as concrete and steel, in public projects to address embodied carbon. Empty column	Northeast
Not Enacted	South Carolina Empty column Buy clean requirements mandate or incentivize the use of low-carbon construction materials, such as concrete and steel, in public projects to address embodied carbon. Empty column	Southeast
Not Enacted	South Dakota Empty column Buy clean requirements mandate or incentivize the use of low-carbon construction materials, such as concrete and steel, in public projects to address embodied carbon. Empty column	Midwest
Not Enacted	Tennessee Empty column Buy clean requirements mandate or incentivize the use of low-carbon construction materials, such as concrete and steel, in public projects to address embodied carbon. Empty column	Southeast
Not Enacted	Texas Empty column Buy clean requirements mandate or incentivize the use of low-carbon construction materials, such as concrete and steel, in public projects to address embodied carbon. Empty column	Southwest
Not Enacted	Utah Empty column Buy clean requirements mandate or incentivize the use of low-carbon construction materials, such as concrete and steel, in public projects to address embodied carbon. Empty column	West
Not Enacted	Vermont Empty column Buy clean requirements mandate or incentivize the use of low-carbon construction materials, such as concrete and steel, in public projects to address embodied carbon. Empty column	Northeast
Not Enacted	Virginia Empty column Buy clean requirements mandate or incentivize the use of low-carbon construction materials, such as concrete and steel, in public projects to address embodied carbon. Empty column	Southeast
Enacted	Washington Empty column The state has funded the creation of a database to track building materials purchased for state-funded infrastructure projects and two large Buy Clean and Buy Fair pilot projects. State contractors must report on large construction projects, including suppliers’ declarations on environmental, health, and working conditions for covered products, such as concrete, steel, and engineered wood. The Department of Commerce must convene a working group to recommend policies to increase production and use of low-carbon construction materials. Establishing Policies HB 1080 (2021) HB 1282 (2024) Empty column	West	2024
Not Enacted	West Virginia Empty column Buy clean requirements mandate or incentivize the use of low-carbon construction materials, such as concrete and steel, in public projects to address embodied carbon. Empty column	Southeast
Not Enacted	Wisconsin Empty column Buy clean requirements mandate or incentivize the use of low-carbon construction materials, such as concrete and steel, in public projects to address embodied carbon. Empty column	Midwest
Not Enacted	Wyoming Empty column Buy clean requirements mandate or incentivize the use of low-carbon construction materials, such as concrete and steel, in public projects to address embodied carbon. Empty column	West

Buy Clean Requirements

Key Resources

Model States

Buy Clean Requirements By State