April 2025 NGO/Government Roundtable on Embodied Carbon

Roundtable: NGO/Government Alignment
1

Andrew Himes – CLF

  • Welcome and introduction to NGO/Governmental Roundtable
  • CLF’s Embodied Carbon NGO/Government Roundtable has the following objectives:
    • Share news, strategic plans, resources, and tools related to embodied carbon.
    • Report planning and future dates for conferences, webinars, and meetings.
    • Inspire and facilitate ongoing communication and conversation among key leaders related to embodied carbon.
    • Encourage convergence on shared embodied carbon terminology, data standards, benchmarks, and targets for embodied carbon reduction.

Brad Benke – CLF

  • Nearly 3-year effort led by CLF, in partnership with 30 design firms across North America.
  • Focused on collecting and analyzing harmonized whole building LCA models to better understand and benchmark embodied carbon in buildings.

CLF WBLCA Benchmark Study v2 Key Deliverables:

  1. The Embodied Carbon Benchmark Report: Embodied Carbon Budgets and Analysis of 292 Buildings in the US and Canada (New)
  • Provides embodied carbon budgets and performance benchmarks by building type and scope.
  • Offers guidance for applying benchmarks in policy and design.
  • Includes analysis of trends and key drivers of embodied carbon.
  1. Open-access Dataset: Benke et al. A Harmonized Dataset of High-resolution Whole Building Life Cycle Assessment Results in North America: Data only – First Public Release (New)
  2. Dataset Descriptor: A Harmonized Dataset of High-resolution Whole Building Life Cycle Assessment Results in North America [Preprint] (New)
  • Includes full dataset, methodology, and downloadable spreadsheets.
  • Publicly available for use by researchers, policymakers, and practitioners.
  • WBLCA Benchmark Study v2 Dashboard
  1. Exploratory Data Analysis of a North American WBLCA Dataset. [Preprint]
  • Identifies statistical drivers of high embodied carbon.
  1. Embodied Carbon and Material Use Intensity Analysis of New Construction Buildings in North America. [Preprint]
  1. California Carbon Report
  • Whole life carbon assessment of 30 real California buildings.
  • Compared operational vs. embodied carbon.

Next Steps:

  • This is the first public presentation of the full set of resources.
  • Future webinars will provide deeper dives.
  • Resources are available on the CLF website; feedback and engagement are encouraged.
  • Questions:
    • From Scott Farbman - Energy Soluations : @Brad Benke - I’ve been sifting through the reports and raw data, all of which is amazing, I was wondering if CLF has any guidance for reverse engineering the total mass inputs per material line item back to the commonly reported unit metrics (that we see in EPDs)?
    • Brad: Excellent question. We definitely recognize this limitation which was mainly a result of weirdness in LCA results. We have some insights that we might share in the future on typical densities of the material groups and types we created. In the meantime, you can find some generic densities of materials through simple searching. But yes, hopefull, we can get something more specific out there soon.

Michelle Lambert – CLF

Project Types & Methodologies:

  • Case studies span a wide range of:
    • Building types, sizes, and locations.
    • LCA approaches:
      • Whole Building LCA (Cradle to Grave) using tools like Tally, One Click, or Athena.
      • Material-focused assessments using EPDs, EC3, or quantity-based estimates.
      • Emerging categories covering interiors, MEP, and landscape — with more flexible LCA requirements.

Reduction Strategies Featured:

  • Strategies include:
    • Low-carbon concrete
    • Mass timber
    • Material efficiency (structure + interiors)
    • Bio-based materials
    • Adaptive reuse
  • Most projects used multiple strategies.

Structure & Content:

  • Each case study is 3–5 pages long and includes:
    • Scope of LCA and tools used
    • Project phase when LCA was performed
    • Reported embodied carbon intensity and estimated % savings
    • Benchmarks (project-specific or policy-based)
    • Biogenic carbon storage (especially for bio-based materials)

Notable Intro Section:

  • Offers valuable insights into:
    • LCA tool differences
    • Biogenic carbon accounting
    • Modeling reuse
    • Reporting guidance

Purpose:

  • Provides reference examples for embodied carbon assessment and reporting.
  • Promotes consistency and transparency across project LCAs.

Colleen Loader - Canada Green Building Council

  • National Embodied Carbon Strategy Report (2024 Summit Recap)
    • Outcome of last June’s national summit on embodied carbon in Canada.
    • The final report released earlier this year; covers the current state, key gaps, barriers, and proposed solutions.
  • Upcoming 2025 National Summit (June)
    • Focus: Develop work plans for top 7 identified issues from the previous summit.
    • CLF and USGBC invited to participate to ensure U.S.–Canada alignment.
    • More outcomes expected after the June event.
  • New Whole Building LCA Practitioner Guide
    • Published by Canada’s National Research Council.
    • Builds on 2023 guide from the City of Vancouver.
    • Aims to align national practices on defaults, baselines, and methodology.
    • Misalignment across regions was a key issue identified in the 2023 summit.
  • City of Vancouver LCA Policy Update
    • Released an addendum updating their original 2023 LCA guidance.
    • Transitioning away from their standalone approach to align with the national guide.
    • Embodied carbon reduction targets (originally expected for Jan 2025) have been delayed—see City of Vancouver website for details.
  • Clean Energy Canada Report
    • New study on cost impacts of swapping to low-carbon materials and design changes.
    • Findings: Cost-neutral or minimal premiums for lower embodied carbon solutions.
    • Released last week.

Cecilia Wandiga - Centre for Science and Technology Innovations, Kenya Regional Hub Lead

  • Biochar Update – Progress on Harmonized Net Zero Material

  • Goal: Focus on biochar as a key material for carbon dioxide removal (CDR), not just emissions reduction.

  • Targeting biochar’s applications in:

  • Water purification

  • Construction materials

  • Soil amendments

  • Concept: Farm-to-building cycle, leveraging agricultural resources.

  • Progress:

    • Analyzing local biochar samples.
    • Comparing human energy vs. machine energy for cost-effective micro crushing.
    • Focus on chemical characterization to screen for harmful substances (PHAs, toxic chemicals, heavy metals).

  • Challenges:

    • Pyrolysis machines vary greatly in design and capability, with few able to process multiple feedstocks.
    • Narrowed down to two potential suppliers: one in Vancouver and one in India.

Pamela Conrad - Climate Positive Design

  • Climate Positive Design

  • The initiative focuses on exterior built environments, aiming for climate-positive designs.

  • New Features:

    • Infrastructure Project Types: Added to the Pathfinder tool alongside site projects.
      • Over 300 new materials for infrastructure and sites.
      • Embodied carbon emissions calculated for each selected material.
    • Additional Metrics:
      • Planting: Tracks carbon sequestration from trees or plantings over a 60-year lifespan.
      • Operations: Measures operational emissions from maintenance equipment and water use.
      • Biodiversity: Helps meet the 30% preservation target by 2030 and 10% net biodiversity gain.
      • Water Use: Tracks progress on 30% water reduction target.
      • Cooling: Measures the cooling impact of shaded or green spaces, particularly for heat zones.
      • Equity: Assesses impact on overburdened communities and encourages public engagement.
    • Additional Resources:
      • Scorecards: Track carbon sequestration and design improvements.
      • Methodology Report & User Guide: Available along with EC3 integration and a resource toolkit.
    • Impact:
      • Over 13,000 projects globally, with 1,000+ official projects and a 2.6M metric tons carbon drawdown goal by 2040.
    • Collaborations: Aligned with ECHO and working with UN, LEED, and other organizations for global outreach.

  • Upcoming Webinars:

Chris Nelson - European Federation of Foundation Contractors & Deep Foundations Institute

  • Carbon Calculator, a tool to estimate carbon emissions for geotechnical construction projects.
    • The calculator is Excel-based and targets the product stage life cycle stages (A1-A5) for various geotechnical techniques.
    • It’s intended for use by professionals in the building and infrastructure sectors to identify carbon impacts from niche construction methods.
  • Key Features:
    • Free Access: Available for download at geotechnicalcarboncalculator.com, which redirects to the EFFC website.
    • Includes the user guide, references, and links to past webinars and training sessions.
  • Exciting Announcement:
    • The Carbon Calculator Task Group is transitioning the tool from Excel to a web-based application, following in the footsteps of tools like Pathfinder.
    • The project will begin in Q2 this year, with the goal of a public release in Q3 next year.
  • Next Steps: Stay tuned for further updates on the web-based tool’s development.

Josh Clement - Global Energy Monitor

  • Global Energy Monitor
  • Global Cement & Concrete Tracker: part of the Heavy Industry Program at Global Energy Monitor, a nonprofit focused on open and transparent data in the clean energy movement.
    • Offers free, open-source databases that track various industries, including fossil fuels, clean energy, and heavy industries.
  • Key Components of the Heavy Industry Program:
    • Global Iron and Steel Tracker: Covers 90% of global capacity.
    • Global Cement and Concrete Tracker: Planned for release in July 2025, will cover 90% of global cement and concrete capacity.
    • Iron Ore Mines Tracker: Supports the Iron and Steel Tracker with data on mining and supply chains.
  • Tracker Features:
    • Database: Free to download, includes links to sources for all metadata.
    • Interactive Map: Visual representation of plant types, sizes, and locations.
    • Wiki Pages: Asset-specific information.
    • Dashboards: Visual breakdowns and statistics for countries.
    • Summary Tables: Downloadable information on trends by region or country.
  • Next Steps:
    • The Global Cement and Concrete Tracker will be released in July 2025.
    • For more information or questions, reach out to Josh or the team.

Tracy Huynh - RMI

  • Building with Biomass Report
    • Modeled carbon storage potential if U.S. residential buildings used more carbon-storing materials made from biomass feedstocks.
    • Assessed potential job creation and avoided material waste (e.g., incineration).
  • RESNET 1550 Embodied Carbon Standard
    • Embodied carbon assessment standard for homes.
    • First draft published Nov 2024; public comments closed Jan 2025.
    • Currently two-thirds through comment review; second draft expected summer 2025.
  • Home Builders’ Network:
    • Published a second round of case studies.
    • Supports builders in measuring and reducing embodied carbon across North America.
  • Upcoming National Benchmarking Study:
    • Planning a residential embodied carbon benchmarking study.
    • Currently seeking funding and collaboration.
  • Mass Timber Reports with Colorado Coalition:
    • “Fighting Fire with Low-Carbon Buildings”: Focused on wildfire thinning for carbon-smart building materials.
    • From Wildfire to Wealth Report
    • Colorado Market Study: Assessed mass timber product manufacturing capacity and alignment with forest management.
  • U.S. Policy Initiatives:
    • Developing pathways to 2050 for embodied carbon reductions in U.S. buildings.
    • Includes policy scenarios to support regulators and local governments; draft report expected June 2025.
    • Advanced Market Commitments Policy Brief
  • Low Carbon Concrete for DOTs Memo
  • India Focus:
    • Developing policy toolkit for cities on embodied carbon.
    • Launched affordable housing benchmarking project.
    • Future efforts will target LCA/EPD infrastructure and market activation for EPD demand.

Lyndsay Watkins - USGBC

  • LEED v5 is launching very soon, marking a major update in the rating system with a strong emphasis on embodied carbon.
  • New Requirements & Credits:
    • “Assess and Quantify” Prerequisite: All LEED projects will now be required to conduct an embodied carbon assessment.
    • “Reduce Embodied Carbon” Credit: Offers strategies for reducing embodied carbon, with flexibility and alignment across key industry tools and frameworks.
  • Alignment & Harmonization:
    • Close collaboration with ECHO and other partners.
    • Integration with the Common Materials Framework to ensure consistency in material selection and procurement across the industry.

Lindsay Baker - Living Future

  • Zero-Carbon Program Pilot Launching This Summer: beginning a pilot phase for its revised Zero-Carbon Program, thanks in part to community support and new resources from CLF that will support this work.
  • New Product Labeling System: three-label system for building product labeling, expanding on its existing Declare program.
    • The announcement was made yesterday and will be further detailed at the Living Future 2025 conference, especially during the Regenerative Materials Now Summit (pre-conference).
    • Despite not receiving anticipated EPA grant funding, LF is committed to moving ahead and is seeking community support to help develop and implement the new system.
  • More information will be shared at Living Future and through Mindful Materials channels.

Mariane Jang - Office of General Servies New York State

  • Embodied Carbon Guidance
  • Buy Clean Concrete Guidlines
  • Whole Project LCA for buildings and infrastructure with Arup and CLF
    • Hopefully 2026 publication

Zach Semke - Passive House Accelerator

  • Passive House Accelerator
    • Phius - certifying bodies, independent but lots of collaboration
    • Community of practitioners, a wholistic view of zero carbon buildings: energy efficiency, low embodied carbon materials, electrification, and use of renewable energy
    • Webinars, Podcast, YouTube Channel, Articles, Magazine,
  • Reimagine Buildings Collective
    • A new online community for members to share knowledge, relationship building, and collaboration
    • Embodied carbon coursework
  • Reimagine Buildings Event - June 12
    • PAST – (Starts 9am EDT) Explore transformative projects that are revitalizing and repurposing our existing building stock. How can we preserve the carbon investment of existing buildings while making them more resilient and efficient?
    • PRESENT – (Starts 1pm EDT) Celebrate groundbreaking designs that are pushing the boundaries of what’s possible in the built environment. How can we build on the success of regions where low-carbon, high-performance buildings are taking off?
    • FUTURE – (Starts 5pm EDT) Dive into next-gen materials, cutting-edge technologies, and the future of resilient, climate-positive buildings. How can we innovate so that uptake of clean and resilient buildings scales up dramatically? (Starts 5:00pm Eastern)
    • Each session will conclude with a dynamic panel of top professionals who will explore the state of the industry, key challenges, emerging opportunities, innovative materials, and evolving systems. These interactive panels invite audience participation, offering a rare opportunity to engage directly with leading voices shaping the future of the built environment.

Kim Shinn - MEP2040

  • MEP 2040 launched the Beginner’s Guide to MEP Embodied Carbon, co-developed and co-published with CLF.
    • A how-to guide covering all life cycle stages (A, B, C—and a teaser on D) related to MEP systems.
    • Includes a comprehensive whole-building case study of a lab building at the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, illustrating MEP’s carbon impact.
    • MEP systems can represent 25% of upfront embodied carbon and up to 75% of whole life carbon in some buildings—highlighting their crucial role in decarbonization.
    • In less than 24 hours, the guide has been downloaded by over 180 people, signaling strong interest and engagement.
  • Join the conversation at the next MEP 2040 Forum on May 1

Jean Lotus - Natural Building Alliance

  • Founded in 2000 as the Colorado Straw Bale Association – Rebranded in 2019 to support broader natural, bio-based, carbon-sequestering, and locally sourced building materials
  • Mission: Scaling up the use of natural building materials—such as straw panels, hempcrete, cob, and adobe—by reducing red tape and creating pathways for manufacturing and code adoption.
  • 2024 IRC Milestone:Major step forward as five to six natural materials were included in the International Residential Code (IRC):
    • Straw Bale (updated)
    • Light Straw Clay (Appendix BI)
    • Cob
    • Monolithic Adobe
    • Hempcrete (Appendix BL)
    • Crushed Stone Footings (as an alternative to Portland cement)
  • Why It Matters:
    • Makes natural building more accessible by legitimizing systems in code
    • Provides a roadmap for manufacturers
    • Enhances consumer protections
  • Adoption Challenges: Code must be adopted jurisdiction by jurisdiction in states like Colorado and New Mexico (no statewide building code)
  • Momentum: City of Austin, TX officially adopted Hempcrete earlier this month—signaling progress in mainstreaming natural materials
  • Resources & Education:
    • Upcoming books featuring IRC appendices
  • Rocky Mountain Natural Building Conference in Bozeman, MT, September 18–20
    • Featuring low-cost housing options ($40/night hostel) to keep it accessible
    • Aim: Bridge gap between small-scale and larger projects using natural materials

Genevieve Graham - SE 2050

  • SE 2050 ​​Firm Participation:
    • Over 150 firms now committed to the program
    • Annual data submission required from firms
    • Encourages industry-wide action with support from private-sector practitioners
  • Database Growth:
    • 1,000+ projects already submitted
    • A new database in development will capture material quantities and enhance embodied carbon analysis
    • Findings already align with CLF research, offering deeper insights into structural embodied carbon
  • Embodied Carbon Action Plans (ECAPs):
    • Every participating firm creates and publishes a unique ECAP
    • These public documents outline each firm’s strategies to reduce embodied carbon
    • An invaluable transparency and accountability tool for the industry
  • What’s Next:
    • Continue to grow the program in both quality and quantity
    • Expand the database and deepen alignment with other industry research (including CLF)
    • Empower practitioners to understand their impact and drive change in their designs

Scott Farbman - Energy Solutions

  • The Residential Modeling and Whole Building Metrics subgroup for 2027 IECC code development, meets on Tuesday at 2pm ET,
  • Three proposals will be reviewed:
    1. Definition of CO2E: Introducing a formal definition for CO2 equivalent emissions (CO2E).
    2. Embodied Carbon Requirement in Modeling: Embodied carbon could be included in the energy performance modeling for residential buildings (single-family homes, townhomes, and low-rise buildings).
    3. New Appendix for Embodied Carbon: A municipal appendix establishing thresholds and requirements for embodied carbon in residential buildings.
  • Collaborative Effort: These proposals are supported by Stephen Winters’ Associates, RMI, and Chris Magwood.
  • Why it Matters: Public support for these proposals is crucial to help integrate embodied carbon into the IECC codes, which could impact energy performance regulations for residential construction.

Don Davies - Lower Carbon Concrete Task Force