Building reuse represents a significant opportunity to avoid carbon emissions in the critical near term, but until recently, quantifying the carbon “savings” in a retrofit or reuse versus new construction has been arduous, often fraught with inaccuracy, and lacking in standardized methodology. Architecture 2030’s CARE (Carbon Avoided Retrofit Estimator) Tool has dramatically streamlined the process, enabling owners, communities, and design teams to quickly quantify the carbon benefits—and understand the value of reuse.
Based on simple user inputs about energy targets and potential building interventions, the CARE Tool estimates both the operational carbon emissions (from energy use in the building) and embodied carbon emissions (tied to building materials) associated with reusing and upgrading an existing building or replacing it with new construction. The tool was developed by design experts Larry Strain of Siegel and Strain Architects, Erin McDade of Architecture 2030, and Lori Ferriss of Goody Clancy.
Now, owners, developers, community leaders, and design and planning teams can get answers to nuanced questions about reuse. For example: Retrofitting an existing building to zero operating emissions will almost always be the lowest carbon option. But what if the retrofit achieves only a 50% reduction and you can replace it with a zero operating emissions building? What if a large addition is required to increase density or accommodate new uses? How does climate zone, grid intensity, and the condition of the existing building affect those considerations?
![Architecture 2030 CARE (Carbon Avoided Retrofit Estimator) Tool](/sites/default/files/inline-images/Architecture%202030%20CARE%20%28Carbon%20Avoided%20Retrofit%20Estimator%29%20Tool.jpeg)
Carbon savings visualized as total embodied and operational emissions
Outputs are visualized as total embodied and operational emissions over a specified time frame as well as cumulative emissions over time, for three scenarios: the existing building, the renovated building, and the new construction. Results can be compared to determine the lowest total-carbon approach and the time frame in which that occurs.
“We’ve done deep-dive simulations of up-front (embodied) carbon emissions as well as projected carbon emissions from building operation, spending hundreds of staff hours,” says Z Smith, Principal and Director of Sustainability and Building Performance at EskewDumezRipple. “The CARE tool allows us to demonstrate—in minutes—the benefits of renovations, not just to the human experience of the buildings, but to their environmental footprint. This is a great addition to the tools architects need to make the case for the rapid transformation of our existing building stock.”
The CARE Tool can also be used by policymakers, planners, building owners, developers, heritage building officers, architects, and educators who are interested in a pre- or early-design, high-level assessment of the total emissions impact of building reuse versus replacement. With retrofits on the rise and the urgent need for climate action, tools like CARE fill a critical gap in our understanding and valuation of the existing building stock as an important climate asset.
The CARE Tool is currently being funded by a 2020 ONEder Grant, 2021 Moe Family Fund Grant through the National Trust for Historic Preservation, and the 1772 Foundation. The CARE Team is currently seeking additional development support.
Access the free CARE tool here.
Related Stories
| Sep 29, 2014
Report finds links between office design, health and productivity
A new report from the World Green Building Council finds “overwhelming evidence” to support office design as a significant influencer of the health, wellbeing and productivity of staff.
| Sep 16, 2014
Studies reveal growing demand for LEED-credentialed professionals across building sector
The study showed that demand for the LEED Accredited Professional and LEED Green Associate credentials grew 46 percent over a 12-month period.
| Sep 15, 2014
Sustainability rating systems: Are they doomed?
None of the hundreds of existing green building rating systems is perfect. Some of them are too documentation-heavy. Some increase short-term project cost. Some aren’t rigorous enough or include contentious issues, writes HDR's Michaella Wittmann.
| Sep 12, 2014
Armstrong first in Pennsylvania to earn LEED Platinum recertification from USGBC
The Armstrong facility is the first building in Pennsylvania and among only 17 buildings globally to achieve recertification at the highest level possible under USGBC’s LEED-EBOM program.
| Sep 7, 2014
USGBC + American Chemistry Council: Unlikely partners in green building
In this new partnership, LEED will benefit from the materials expertise of ACC and its member companies. We believe this has the potential to be transformational, writes Skanska USA's President and CEO Michael McNally.
| Sep 3, 2014
New designation launched to streamline LEED review process
The LEED Proven Provider designation is designed to minimize the need for additional work during the project review process.
Sponsored | | Sep 2, 2014
Judson University’s Harm A. Weber Academic Center resembles copper, but its sustainability efforts are pure gold
The building’s custom-fabricated wall panels look like copper, but are actually flat metal sheets coated with Valspar’s signature Fluropon Copper Penny coating.
| Aug 25, 2014
Glazing plays key role in reinventing stairway design
Within the architectural community, a movement called "active design" seeks to convert barren and unappealing stairwells originally conceived as emergency contingencies into well-designed architectural focal points. SPONSORED CONTENT
| Aug 1, 2014
GBCI joins up with Bureau Veritas to support LEED certification process in global hubs
Partnership intended to improve LEED certification process for projects in countries around the globe.
| Jul 28, 2014
Commercial energy-efficiency retrofits will represent nearly $960 billion investment in next decade
Payback periods remain a critical factor for decisionmakers on retrofit projects, report finds.