flexiblefullpage
billboard
interstitial1
catfish1
Currently Reading

Low-cost methods can have substantial impact on reducing embodied carbon

Codes and Standards

Low-cost methods can have substantial impact on reducing embodied carbon

Whole-building design, material substitution, and specification strategies can slash carbon by up to 46%.


By Peter Fabris, Contributing Editor | September 3, 2021

Courtesy Pixabay

Low- and no-cost measures can significantly reduce embodied carbon in mid-rise commercial office, multifamily, and tilt-up-style buildings, according to Rocky Mountain Institute.

Whole-building design, material substitution, and specification strategies can chop embodied carbon by 24% to 46% in those building types at cost premiums of less than 1%, the Institute says. A recent report by the Institute focused on carbon embodied in structural elements, which accounts for about 80% of a structure’s embodied carbon.

Whole-building design can have the biggest impact on embodied carbon, the report says. Material substitution and specification can also result in substantial embodied carbon savings, especially when targeting carbon-intensive materials such as concrete and steel.

A building’s structure and substructure typically make up the largest sources of up-front embodied carbon—as much as 80%. But the relatively rapid renovation cycle of building interiors associated with tenancy and turnover can account for a similar percentage of emissions over the lifetime of a building.

Related Stories

Codes and Standards | Nov 8, 2021

Dept. of Energy to fund 10 pilot smart building projects

Connected communities will accelerate renewable energy adoption and grid resilience.

Codes and Standards | Nov 3, 2021

Fact sheets offer strategies to improve indoor air quality in schools

Center for Green Schools at USGBC document for people without a technical background.

Codes and Standards | Nov 2, 2021

Rapid acceleration of affordable housing development expected over next five years

Federal government programs will spur construction.

Codes and Standards | Nov 1, 2021

New bird-friendly technical design guide released

National Glass Assn. document offers design and installation best practices for glazing.

Codes and Standards | Nov 1, 2021

World’s first chief heat officer tackles how to protect Miamians from extreme heat

Focus on chronic exposure for outdoor workers and for those that can’t afford AC.

Codes and Standards | Oct 28, 2021

Design competition launched to show role of mass timber in decarbonization

Forest Service and Softwood Lumber Board will award $2 million in grants to winning teams.

Codes and Standards | Oct 27, 2021

Texas reforms series of contractor laws

Measures seen as making it easier to do business in the state.

Codes and Standards | Oct 26, 2021

Drownings during Hurricane Ida point out FEMA flood map flaws

Eleven people drowned in New York City in areas marked as low risk.

Codes and Standards | Oct 20, 2021

New York City passes overhaul of construction codes

Over 600 major changes along with thousands of smaller updates slated for 2022.

boombox1
boombox2
native1

More In Category

Contractors

Conflict resolution is a critical skill for contractors

Contractors interact with other companies seventeen times a day on average, and nearly half of those interactions (eight) involve conflicts, according to a report by Dodge Construction Network and Dusty Robotics. The study suggests that specialty trade contractors, in particular, rarely experience good resolution from conflicts. 



Warehouses

California bill would limit where distribution centers can be built

A bill that passed the California legislature would limit where distribution centers can be located and impose other rules aimed at reducing air pollution and traffic. Assembly Bill 98 would tighten building standards for new warehouses and ban heavy diesel truck traffic next to sensitive sites including homes, schools, parks and nursing homes.


halfpage1

Most Popular Content

  1. 2021 Giants 400 Report
  2. Top 150 Architecture Firms for 2019
  3. 13 projects that represent the future of affordable housing
  4. Sagrada Familia completion date pushed back due to coronavirus
  5. Top 160 Architecture Firms 2021