This study performs a carbon footprint (CF) assessment in carbon dioxide equivalent tons (tCO2eq) for hostel building construction in Perlis, Malaysia, through a case study by using the Industrialized Building System construction method. Life cycle assessment from cradle-to-gate is conducted to calculate the CF produced by manufacturing prefabricated sandwich panels (Prefab-SP) for machinery operation and their actual site installation stages. Results show that the actual site installation of Prefab-SP component requires the extensive use of an excavator leaves a significantly high CF of 81.59 tCO2eq (34.00%), especially during the completion of floor construction. Building work contributes a notable CF of 159.32 tCO2eq (63.87%), followed by preliminary work, foundation, and earthwork with 35.08 (14.06%), 34.30 (13.75%), and 20.76 (14.06%) tCO2eq, respectively. The shortcrete mixture used for plastering works releases a high CF of 360.04 tCO2eq (73.11%) due to its high cement consumption and high embodied energy factor of extraction and production. Given the magnitude of the CF spike from the construction phase, its implications are expected to elicit the attention of policymakers in setting sustainability reduction targets for construction phases.
