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Embodied Carbon Reduction Challenge: Lessons Learned and Case Studies

Name: Embodied Carbon Reduction Challenge: Lessons Learned and Case Studies
Start: 2024-12-19T12:00:00-05:00
End: 2024-12-19T13:00:00-05:00
Location: Virtual Event

December 19, 2024 @ 12:00 pm - 1:00 pm

Hear what we’ve learned from the sixteen projects submitted to the Embodied Carbon Reduction Challenge.

View our Embodied Carbon Reduction Challenge page for our complete case study report.

Questions? Reach out to communications@builtenvironmentplus.org.

In 2023, with a goal of accelerating the consideration of embodied carbon in the built environment, The Massachusetts Clean Energy Center (MassCEC) engaged Built Environment Plus (BE+), a non-profit driving the sustainability of the built environment, to conduct an Embodied Carbon Reduction Challenge for new construction and major renovation projects in process or recently built in Massachusetts. Over the course of a year BE+ conducted multiple trainings, held office hours, facilitated LCA user groups and a communication platform. In addition, they provided participants with free access to Tally and OneClick LCA software programs to conduct whole building life cycle assessments. Nearly 50 companies expressed interest in the challenge with cash prizes totaling $380,000 and in the end sixteen teams submitted projects for consideration. This session will showcase the winners selected by a panel of embodied carbon experts. The judging criteria were based on the project’s replicability and cost effectiveness, reduction in embodied carbon, and innovativeness. We’ll share lessons learned from across the entrants, innovative reduction strategies and trends common between them. Lastly, we’ll focus on the Challenge’s effectiveness as a tool for accelerating the reduction of embodied carbon in the building industry and thoughts on next steps to accelerate reduction even further.

In partnership with Carbon Leadership Forum, Seattle

Featured Speakers

Meredith Elbaum, Executive Director, Built Environment Plus

Meredith’s thesis at MIT, in 2003, recognized the disconnect between people and resources for a sustainable built environment. Since then, she pioneered the Director of Sustainable Design role at Sasaki, an international planning and design firm and then co-convened the first summit of Sustainable Design Leaders, now an ongoing professional network. She championed transparency as Interim Executive Director for the Health Product Declaration Collaborative and led the University of Missouri’s Climate Action Planning. She founded the USGBC MA Chapter and later, as Executive Director, transformed it to Built Environment Plus where, like a bridge, she makesconnections, celebrates, educates and advocates, all to advance the green building industry. When she’s not trying to save the world you’ll find Meredith hiking, biking and swimming with her family.

Beverly Craig, Program Director, Massachusetts Clean Energy Center

Beverly Craig, LEED AP is a Program Manager at the Massachusetts Clean Energy Center, a quasi-state government agency focused on economic development to supports Massachusetts’ ambitious climate goals. Her policy work includes the Passive House Design Challenge, Embodied Carbon state policy, a grant program for MA concrete ready mix concrete climate transparency, and centralization of retrofit content in a Building Energy Exchange coming soon to Massachusetts. Ms. Craig comes from a background of directing energy efficiency retrofits and installing renewables in affordable housing portfolios and her work has included LEED Platinum deep retrofits on three income restricted properties and one new construction LEED Platinum multifamily development. Beverly holds a BA from the University of Southern California and an MPP from Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government.

Aurora Jensen, Senior Manager, Low Carbon Buildings, Carbon Leadership Forum

Aurora Jensen is a Senior Manager focused on Low Carbon Buildings at the Carbon Leadership Forum. Her role emphasizes building-scale embodied carbon reduction through research, technical guidance and collaboration. Before joining CLF, Aurora grew and led the Embodied Carbon team at Brightworks Sustainability. She supported clients in understanding and driving down the embodied carbon impacts of their buildings and portfolios through design exploration and procurement. She has led numerous whole-building life cycle assessments (WBLCAs) for LEED and ILFI and published research on the embodied carbon of mass timber buildings. With previous experience in operational energy modeling and evaluating passive strategies, she works to link operational and embodied carbon considerations and consider trade-offs. Aurora also teaches Environmental Design as a part-time faculty member at Parsons School of Design at The New School.