Achieving net-zero emissions in China's building Sector: Critiques and strategies of minimizing embodied carbon

The building sector of China encounters more challenges in achieving net zero emissions, as embodied carbon (EC) constitutes a larger proportion of total carbon emission compared to developed countries. However, there is a lack of systematic reviews that comprehensively analyze the current research status, limitations, practices and challenges particularly in the context of EC emissions in China's building sector. This review carried out a bibliometric evaluation and detail content of analysis of studies on China's EC reduction technologies and practices in the building sector, highlighting research gaps. Key focus areas include are on concrete and steel used in urban high-rise prefabrication buildings, biomass materials used in rural houses, passive buildings in extreme weather zones, and choices of renovation and demolition. Challenges and strategies for minimizing EC emissions in the China's building sector were also explored, providing valuable insight for researchers and practitioners in this field. © 2025 Elsevier B.V.