CA42 - Act now
11 things you can do right now, LEED Certification, EU requires GWP for construction materials
NEWSWORTHY
⚒ New legislation is set to require Global Warming Potential for all construction products in the EU
🏆 Only 6 days to apply for the CLF Embodied Carbon Awards (BC Chapter)
♻️ Kjell Anderson gives the first steps architects should take for a circular economy in design
THE SPONSOR
A few weeks ago over 25% of you said you want to get LEED certified this year.
Well here is your first chance. I’ve partnered with Archiroots to give you 15% off all their LEED courses. You can pass the LEED Exam in 2 weeks, and it’s all online.
They even have a free LEED GA study guide!
Just use the code TheCarbonArchitect at checkout.
THE TOPIC
When I started my career in architecture I compartmentalized my projects.
You’ve probably done it too.
Civic, Residential, Commercial, Sustainable.
Sustainable buildings as a project type? It doesn’t make sense, does it. But that’s how I thought, and it’s how many architects think about sustainable design.
Waiting for that “sustainable” project to drop in their lap is a recipe for inaction.
Newsflash for you …. It ain’t going to happen!!
That’s why you need to change your mentality about buildings from the idea that their are “sustainable projects” and then there are regular projects.
Sure, there is a reality that some clients have more ambition than others, but every single project should have these key ingredients.
There are three big dangers of this way of thinking.
1 - Missed opportunities
Every project has opportunities to lower the carbon footprint if you are just looking for them. If you don’t even ask the questions, you’ll miss out on huge opportunities.
2 - Practice makes perfect
Sustainable design takes years and years of practice. Each project can test the boundaries of what’s possible. If you wait for that perfect project you’ll have no experience practicing. Practice on your current project.
3 - Educating yourself
If you work on your sustainable design process during every project, you’ll be forced to learn about new topics and gradually grow your knowledge base.
Alright, so we know that treating every project the same is really important.
Developing a design process that challenges the status quo is the challenge.
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11 Things you can do on every project
1/ Start with a sustainability workshop (checkout previous post)
2/ Run your project through EPIC (Interested in a demo - drop a comment)
3/ Add less stuff. Do you need to add that series of concrete benches and planters?
4/ Complete an energy model at SD, use results to change the design
5/ Find low-carbon materials to use in your project from 2050 Materials Catalog
6/ Review material selection on EC3, Mindful Materials, or Transparency Catalog
7/ Request EPD’s from suppliers with every sample set
8/ Add embodied carbon limits to your specification (start with concrete, steel, and insulation)
9/ Hold internal strategy sessions with your team to ask questions, and come up with solutions specifically related to low-carbon design
10/ Review the embodied carbon of your design with TallyCat (Free Revit Plugin)
11/ Inform your client on the carbon impacts of your design. Treat it like a budget and just lay out the facts so they are more informed.
TLDR;
You can make a difference today on your project.
Don’t wait for that next project to start.
THE PERSON
Chris is a legend when it comes to embodied carbon and energy-efficient building design. He is the Director of Research at Builders for Climate Action and is the manager of carbon-free buildings at RMI and has been obsessed with making the best, most efficient and carbon-storing buildings for 25 years. He also wrote the book - Beyond Net Zero, so yeah. He’s somebody you’ll want to follow.
THE PROJECT
With a slew of awards, there is no doubt that The Kendeda Building for Innovative Sustainable Design is a winner when it comes to low-carbon design. It is the first Living Building Challenge certified project in Georgia and is a landmark on the Georgia Institute of Technology campus. The 16,800 SF PV roof provides huge shading opportunities and also produces over 100% of the required energy use. It’s also mass timber!