This research explores the state of the construction industry in terms of its actions towards carbon emission reduction, current trends, and values relating to emissions and embodied energy in shipping containers. Shipping containers represent one type of offsite construction that is widely used for the construction of new buildings using recycled material. Given that shipping containers are considered environmentally friendly due to the use of recycled material, this research aims to investigate their carbon emissions and explore whether they are a sustainable solution. In-depth research into trends involving the conversion of shipping containers to buildings is conducted to see if there are any adverse side effects of the practice. Secondary data on emissions and embodied energy were reviewed to determine how this trend holds up to sustainability, as it is commonly associated with related published research. In comparison, traditional buildings and shipping container buildings had a comparative embodied energy requirement of 74,532.50 megajoules and 99,772.44 megajoules, respectively. The research concludes that well-known offsite construction methods, such as shipping containers, should not be readily assumed to be sustainable alternatives to traditional construction methods. The research suggests the importance of reviewing the embodied energy of buildings that utilise shipping containers, rather than assuming their sustainability, thus highlighting significant practical implications for the construction sector.