The Washington, D.C., practice of global design firm Perkins&Will has pledged to eliminate embodied carbon in every commercial interiors space it designs by 2030.
“We’re setting this ambitious benchmark as a necessary response to the global climate crisis,” says Perkins&Will architect and sustainability expert Jon Penndorf. “We believe the District of Columbia and surrounding communities can lead the way for the rest of the country.”
Embodied carbon is an aggregate of all emissions released during ingredient extraction, product manufacturing, transportation, and end-of-life reuse or non-use. Statistics suggest embodied carbon is responsible for 11% of all global greenhouse gas emissions annually, the firm says. In the building sector, it accounts for more than a quarter of emissions.
“It’s been ingrained in architects and designers to think of heating and cooling as the biggest culprit, some of the worst climate change offenders—our building materials—are hidden in plain sight,” says Perkins&Will architect Rod Letonja. The problem is compounded by interior renovations and new tenant fit-outs. Old interior building materials frequently get discarded rather than reused, and with large leases turning over every 10 years on average, the emissions impact increases over time.
Related Stories
| Dec 4, 2014
Rock Hill, S.C., puts moratorium on multifamily construction
City officials say the flurry of apartment construction over the past year has strained resources, including public services and infrastructure.
| Dec 4, 2014
Ontario contractors renew push for prompt payment legislation
A new coalition of Ontario contractors, construction associations, suppliers and trade unions will push for a revival of prompt payment legislation late this year.
| Dec 4, 2014
Roofing material manufacturers extend research project on sustainable roofing
A coalition of trade groups is sponsoring continued analysis of a reroofing project at the Onondaga County Correctional Facility in Jamesville, New York.
| Nov 26, 2014
Colorado must fix construction defects law, Denver Post says
Colorado's “vexing construction defects law” has hampered the building of new condominiums in the state, according to an editorial in the Denver Post.
| Nov 26, 2014
Cheyenne, Wyoming City Council kills downtown design standards proposal
The Cheyenne, Wyoming City Council voted down a measure that would have implemented design standards for new construction and building additions downtown.
| Nov 26, 2014
ASTM International develops first product category rules for asphalt roofing industry
The Asphalt Roofing Manufacturers Association (ARMA) and ASTM International have developed Product Category Rules (PCR) for asphalt roofing in North America.
| Nov 26, 2014
International Green Construction Code will include option for outcome-based approach
The outcome-based approach requires the building owner to provide the building’s utility bills for a 12-month period within three years.
| Nov 20, 2014
Pentagon is reviewing hospital construction standards
An independent review panel of military specialists met with healthcare leaders Nov. 12 to consider whether construction standards for medical centers should be strengthened to align with industry best practices.
| Nov 20, 2014
ConsensusDocs releases first standard agreement for commissioning contracting
The new standard contract provides a contractual vehicle for owners to save significant money from operation and maintenance costs regarding energy performance.
| Nov 20, 2014
Revamped zoning is transforming several New Jersey downtowns
The zoning policy shift could produce the biggest transformation of North New Jersey’s downtowns since the arrival of malls pulled shoppers away from town centers in the 1960s and 1970s.