Embodied carbon is a hot topic—it was of interest in the IRA webinar we presented via the Passive House Network and last week, as a follow-up, Carmel’s podcast on Nexus Labs was the most popular link in our newsletter! Have you read this article from Architectural Record?
We asked Carmel to share a little more:
Our study on the balance of embodied and operational carbon at Dekalb Commons has been cited again in this Architectural Record article. Our partner and architect on the project, Sara Bayer of MAP, outlines our approach to the study, scrutinizing each major building component from the envelope to the HVAC systems on their immediate vs. longer-term carbon impact. Striking this balance of embodied and operational carbon has been steadily growing and gaining due attention in our industry, as the “hidden” impacts of newer and sometimes higher-performing building materials come to light. While we are seeing a growth in the number of projects pursuing and certifying to Passive House standards globally (which we love to see!), the importance of the embodied carbon side of the equation becomes even more critical, and pressing, as the emissions from building materials continue to impact our climate more immediately. The decisions made today about building design will take years of energy savings to realize any return on emissions investment.
Bright Power looks forward to building on the work of this study, following the project’s emissions as it moves forth with construction, and updating our study with further takeaways on the fine-line balancing act it takes to reduce embodied carbon while still hitting Passive House operational energy goals.
