In the United States alone, an estimated 24 billion sf of gypsum board, nearly 30 billion sf of flooring, and 11.5 billion sf of insulation are sold annually. Even a modest reduction in the carbon footprint associated with these products could contribute substantively to creating a healthier built environment.
Perkins&Will, in collaboration with Healthy Building Network, a nonprofit research organization, has posted online two reports aimed at changing the way AEC firms select sustainable, lower-carbon building materials.
Drywall and flooring’s production and transportation have notable environmental footprints, and the products can emit hazardous chemicals. Insulation releases greenhouse gases throughout its lifecycle, and can contain toxic chemicals that make interior spaces less safe.
One of the reports, titled “Embodied Carbon and Material Health in Gypsum Drywall and Flooring,” identifies key drivers of embodied carbon (EC) by looking at examples of product categories that are specified frequently for building projects. For gypsum drywall, the biggest opportunity to work toward lower carbon is to reduce energy use at the manufacturing site, states the report. To work toward material health, reducing mercury that drywall releases by using natural, rather than synthetic, gypsum is a key driver.
The report asserts that choosing a product type with lower impacts is the greatest opportunity to reduce EC and avoid chemicals of concern in flooring. Plant-derived bio-based flooring such as linoleum, cork, and hardwood tend to be lower in EC and comprise safer base materials. The report also suggests ways to lessen the impact of carpeting and resilient flooring, such as by reducing the impacts associated with carpet fiber production, and increasing the service life of resilient flooring.
Insulation is not one size fits all
The second report, titled “Embodied Carbon and Material Health in Insulation,” translates results from assessment tools into guidance for manufacturers, AEC firms, and green building programs to optimize their decisions and promote and select healthier, low-carbon products.
The research finds that not all insulation can be used for all applications, nor are all insulation types exchangeable for one another. When insulation is normalized by R value (which measures how well the product resists heat), the biggest opportunities to reduce EC and prioritize material health revolve around product choices.
The report also recommends giving preference to insulation manufacturers with established take-back programs, and favoring products with Health Product Declarations or Environmental Product Declarations that are third-party verified. An Appendix in the insulation report provides lists of product types that specifiers should prefer, reduce, or avoid for lower EC and better material health.
“Our research collaboration with Healthy Building Network underscores the importance of industry partnerships in effecting change,” says Leigh Christy, Principal and co-director of Research at Perkins&Will. “These reports give project teams and the industry at large vital information to make informed decisions about materials and products that are good for people and the planet.”
Related Stories
Cultural Facilities | Apr 16, 2015
Milwaukee’s Lakeshore State Park visitor center will be ‘off the grid’
The plans also include a built-in wastewater treatment system and rainwater collection.
Green | Apr 16, 2015
Passive House Institute introduces new categories for building certification
The new evaluation procedure considers the building in an environment where only renewable energy is used. Sun and wind provide the primary electricity.
Green | Apr 16, 2015
New version of Building Energy Data Exchange Specification launched
BEDES is a dictionary that facilitates consistent exchange of building characteristics and energy use data between tools and databases in the building energy efficiency sector.
Green | Apr 14, 2015
USGBC will recognize energy and water standards for the Living Building Challenge
This move means that projects achieving the energy and water requirements in Living Building Challenge will be considered as technically equivalent to LEED.
Green | Apr 7, 2015
USGBC survey shows Fortune 200 companies prioritize green building
The world’s top-performing companies are prioritizing sustainability as part of their corporate social responsibility efforts, and a majority of them are using LEED to achieve their goals, according to the new survey.
Codes and Standards | Apr 6, 2015
DOE releases Better Buildings Workforce Guidelines
The guidelines are aimed at strengthening and streamlining commercial building workforce training and certification programs for workers in energy auditing, building commissioning, building operations, and energy management.
Green | Apr 3, 2015
Georgia may ban use of LEED on state buildings
Georgia's state legislature is considering a measure to require all state buildings to only use green building standards that permit the use of Georgia's lumber.
Green | Apr 3, 2015
Energy benchmarking law helps make D.C. top ranked Energy Star city
First-in-the-nation law requires public reporting of annual energy performance
Green | Apr 1, 2015
Global wind power installations expected to slow through 2019
After a 20% falloff in 2013, the global wind power industry made a strong comeback in 2014, with a record 51.2 gigawatts installed. But a new report from Navigant Research forecasts a curtailment in growth.
Codes and Standards | Mar 29, 2015
Elevator shafts a major source of heat loss in New York City
A typical New York apartment building loses thousands of dollars worth of energy every year from leaky elevator shafts that vent warm air at the top of the building and draw in cold air at the bottom, according to a new Urban Green Council report.