Greenbuild Special Report: Meeting the Carbon Emissions Challenge

If you’re concerned about the environment, now is the time to act.

“We have limited time to reverse climate change,” Brad Benke, a researcher at Carbon Leadership Forum said at the Greenbuild conference in Philadelphia.

In a panel discussion, Benke; Ryan Dirks, senior associate at Perkins Eastman; Matt Roberts, post-doctoral researcher at the Center for the Built Environment at UC Berkeley; and Wyatt Ross, building science engineer at CMTA Inc. shared insights about whole life carbon assessment for buildings, and what to do to reduce carbon emissions.

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There isn’t currently an industry standard to measure a building’s carbon footprint through its entire life cycle, from construction through demolition. “Historically, you’re looking at an artificial scope,” Ross said. However, it is important to think as holistically as you can when developing or redeveloping a building in order to have the smallest footprint possible. This can involve looking at the structure of the building, enclosures, interiors, operations and more.

It’s also not just about the upfront carbon. “That matters a lot, but we need to work on ways to extend service life,” Ross explained.

Be sustainable

When you’re developing a building, research the materials before purchasing and installing. For example, Dirks shared that linoleum has fewer carbon emissions than rubber. Additionally, mass timber is more sustainable than steel. (Plus, if you have a hybrid of mass timber, it will provide major cost savings.)

Additionally, make sure to have efficient electrification and building systems, reduce infiltration, and reduce the embodied carbon of your HVAC systems.

And, of course, it’s more environmentally sound to renovate a building than to build a new one, especially if you preserve the structure as much as possible.

“At the end of the day, less is less,” Ross said.