We are daily witnesses of climate changes that will affect all aspects of our lifes, and the impact will also be visible on building structures and infrastructures. In the future, the frequency and intensity of extreme events will increase. This paper focuses on the selected effects of climate change and their influence on structural actions, material properties and structural performance. Some real examples of these effects are presented, and possible strategies are presented to reduce their inevitable negative effects on structures and increase the durability and service life of buildings. Climate change is caused by an increase in the Earth's temperature, which occurs due to an excess of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. A carbon footprint is a measure of the total greenhouse gas emissions caused directly or indirectly by a person, product, company or event. Carbon dioxide is the most important greenhouse gas whose excessive emissions are associated with human activity. The construction industry is responsible for a large share of carbon emissions. In this paper, we will explain what the carbon footprint of buildings is, what makes the difference between bridges and buildings in this respect, what engineers can do to reduce carbon emissions, what are the guidelines for carbon footprint calculations, and finally make a simplified calculation.