Carbon Leadership Forum’s 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.
On July 11, the Roundtable meeting featured presentations from 13 organization and 15 speakers, including opening CLF presentations on CLF’s Embodied Carbon Policy Toolkit, the California Carbon Report on WBLCA, and the ECHO Project (Embodied Carbon Harmonization and Optimization).
Presenters
- Andrew Himes - Intro and Welcome from CLF
- Michelle Lambert, CLF — Embodied Carbon Policy Toolkit update
- Yang Shen, CLF — California Carbon Report (WBLCA Benchmarking Project)
- Luca Giovanetti — World Business Council for Sustainable Development: Market Transformation Action Agenda
- Zack Semke — Passive House Accelerator
- Stephanie Dalo — Zero Emissions Innovation Centre (otherwise known as ZEIC)
- Kareem Hammoud — US Climate Alliance
- Amanda Smith — Drawdown
- Kara Kokernak — ULI
- Brad Nies — GSA
- Meghan Lewis, CLF Program Director — ECHO Project (Embodied Carbon Harmonization & Optimization)
- Nickson Otieno – Niko Green Kenya
- Cecilia Wandiga - Centre for Science and Technology Innovations (CSTI) - Kenya
- Vincent Martinez - Architecture 2030
- Jessica Bristow - ILFI
- Ralph DiNola - New Buildings Institute
Notes
Michelle Lambert, CLF — Embodied Carbon Policy Toolkit update
- Updated policy toolkits - designed to aid policymakers in reducing embodied carbon in construction- include seven new policy fact sheets, a global policy tracking map, policy-specific reports, and a video series, all aimed at informing and guiding policy development.
- The resources cover various aspects of embodied carbon policies, including lifecycle assessment, environmental product declarations, building codes, and deconstruction policies, providing valuable insights and examples for policymakers and related professionals.
- Policy Fact Sheets
- Seven new concise PDFs, each 3-4 pages.
- Introductory topics: embodied carbon, EPDs, building lifecycle assessment.
- Specific topics: bike lane policies, building scale embodied carbon, building codes, deconstruction and reuse policies
- Policy Tracking Map
- Global map tracking all types of embodied carbon policies.
- Includes passed and recently introduced policies.
- Links to policy language and agencies for more information.
- Policy Reports and Case Studies
- Includes advancing the LCA ecosystem report and specific publications on bike lane and procurement policies.
- Case study reports from Pacific Coast Collaborative and Northeast US/Canada.
- Policy Video Series
- Six videos, each about 45 minutes long.
- Topics include procurement policy, Climate Action Plan, zoning policies.
Yang Shen, CLF — California Carbon Report (WBLCA Benchmarking Project)
- Background and Importance
- California Carbon Report is part of the SEAL (or Building LCA Benchmark Study) Version 2.
- Focuses on data quality, standardization, harmonization, and in-depth statistical analysis.
- The project phases include pilot study (2020), data collection (2020-2023), and ongoing analysis (2023-2024).
- Key Research Questions
- Balance of emissions between operational and embodied carbon in new California buildings.
- Estimates of carbon intensities and significant contributors to embodied carbon.
- Gaps and challenges in comprehensive carbon assessment and impact of LCA assumptions.
- Key Findings and Limitations
- Embodied carbon impacts are significant, especially in the near term.
- Importance of decarbonizing the grid and addressing concrete and steel emissions.
- Limitations include lack of data verification and exclusion of biogenic carbon.
- Next Steps
- Additional publications, including a peer-reviewed journal article.
- Data analysis for North American benchmark study and public dataset release.
- Exploration of uncertainty sensitivity analysis and further data collection.
Meghan Lewis, CLF Program Director — ECHO Project (Embodied Carbon Harmonization & Optimization)
- ECHO is a coalition formed in March 2023 in Seattle, focusing on alignment and general strategies for organization design challenges.
- Recently connected with the Canadian Green Building Council and aims to link with other organizations collecting data across North America and communicate with nonprofit organizations.
- Working Groups
- Schema Working Group: Led by Katie Poss from Building Transparency, this group is finalizing a data reporting schema for databases and digital tools to enable ECHO organizations to gather and share whole building or whole project embodied carbon data consistently.
- Alignment Working Group: Led by Meghan Lewis, this group focuses on aligning commitments, certifications, policies, standards, and other initiatives. They are examining how to model and report embodied carbon for whole buildings or infrastructure projects.
- No specific timelines, but hoping to share exciting updates soon.
Luca Giovanetti — World Business Council for Sustainable Development: Market Transformation Action Agenda
- WBCSD collaborates with 230 global companies to decarbonize the built environment, focusing on systemic challenges.
- The Market Transformation Action Agenda addresses low carbon, finance, and supply-demand dynamics, launched in Paris.
- Emphasis on aligning and measuring whole life carbon consistently, ensuring coherent efforts and access to data.
- Minoro Platform, launched during London Climate Week, provides resources for decarbonizing buildings at various stages, supported by the World Green Building Council.
- WBCSD will participate in New York Climate Week, aiming for collaboration and event participation.
Zack Semke — Passive House Accelerator
- Passive House Accelerator is a community of practitioners focused on zero-carbon buildings, independent of certification organizations.
- Their understanding of zero-carbon buildings includes high energy efficiency, low embodied carbon, carbon-storing materials, electrification, clean energy, and affordability.
- Programs include Passive House Accelerator Live (weekly Zoom events), a popular podcast, a biannual magazine, and two YouTube channels.
- They host the Reimagined Buildings conference series, with the next event, Reimagined Buildings Carbon Storage, scheduled for December 6, in partnership with RMI and other experts.
- Values collaboration and is open to exploring partnerships.
Natalie Douglas/Stephanie Dalo — Zero Emissions Innovation Centre (otherwise known as ZEIC)
- Hosted national Embodied Carbon Summit in late May, featuring a one-day workshop to enhance coordination across Canada.
- Summit focused on integrating lessons from operational carbon efforts, with a report by Mantle expected in late fall.
- Emphasis on integrating costing and delivering clear, impactful messages about embodied carbon without being overwhelming.
- Canada lacks a national organization like CLF; Vancouver is a policy leader, with CLF BC now part of ZEIC
- CLF BC has a network of local governments working to raise embodied carbon awareness, seeking provincial guidance and advocacy strategies.
Kareem Hammoud — US Climate Alliance
- Oversees the industry portfolio, focusing on industrial decarbonization, methane mitigation, and refrigerant phase-down, and works with various state environmental regulators and resource management agencies.
- “Buy Clean” initiative involvement includes collaboration between 13 states and the federal government to discuss challenges and share best practices.
- Partners with federal agencies like GSA, EPA, and DOT, providing technical assistance and developing model specifications with the support of consultants.
Amanda Smith — Drawdown
- Project Drawdown focuses on climate education, particularly private solutions scaled to the climate problem.
- Coordinating a major update this year on information related to climate solutions in industry, transportation, and oil and gas emissions and are seeking external reviewers for the updated material
- External reviewers will be compensated $250 and the reviewing process will start next week
Brad Nies — GSA
- The one-year anniversary of the Inflation Reduction Act Low Embodied Carbon Materials Program is soon.
- Challenges persist, such as making materials more affordable than concrete, and progress includes the fast-tracking of EPDs, with the first EPDs from integrated steel mills now available.
- Continued efforts are focused on communicating the competitive advantage of developing EPDs.
- The IRA Low Embodied Carbon Material funding and GSA IRA standards apply only to GSA projects, not other agencies, states, or municipalities. Waivers for funding are not allowed; obtaining EPDs is mandatory.
- Since the program’s launch, the industry has produced 17,000 new EPDs, and 150 projects are funded across 40 states
Cecilia Wandiga - Centre for Science and Technology Innovations (CSTI) - Kenya
- A coalition has been formed, including nonprofits, the African Wildlife Foundation, and industry names like 14 Trees, Arup, and Mass Design, focusing on new practices in Kenya.
- Two years ago, brain-building guidelines emphasizing nature-based solutions were created, with engineered solutions being more expensive.
- Pilot projects were requested for demonstration, recognizing that the Kenyan government builds cities, such as Konza Technopolis, a technology city in progress for about 10 years.
- Konza Technopolis aims to integrate green building and design, setting aside 1,500 acres, including 500 acres for a nature reserve.
- The focus includes using constructed wetlands, 3D printing to reduce imported carbon by minimizing material use and creating biochar from organic or cement construction waste.
- Biochar can be used to make materials, contributing to reduced carbon footprints.
Nickson Otieno – Niko Green - Kenya
- Project team is implementing EU-funded projects along the Kenyan coast, focusing on spatial planning and pilot projects. Efforts include regreening a major public park by improving the space and using low embodied carbon materials, with a focus on natural materials.
- Planning on utilizing resources/tools from the CLF and CLF Hubs to conduct an embodied carbon analysis for different materials, including pavement.
- Hoping to share lessons learned, particularly focusing on planning an embodied carbon analysis for Konza City, including past building reuse and establishing a baseline for upcoming commitments.
- Konza City is developing a climate action roadmap, and the analysis will support and inform this work.v Community projects aim to reclaim construction and demolition waste materials for building community facilities.
- Organizing an international event in 2025.
Vincent Martinez - Architecture 2030
- Engaged in international climate dialogues, including COP 28 and the Buildings and Climate Forum in Paris in March.
- Planning for COP 29, considering proposing side events related to their work with the Global Alliance for Buildings and Construction, focusing on sufficiency.
- Building reuse and embodied carbon are key topics of interest, aligned with the Global Alliance for Buildings and Construction under the UN Environment Program.
- The Global Alliance has an action working group that recently published a report on sufficiency.
- Working on proposing an official UNFCCC side event on sufficiency for COP 29 and has been invited by the World Sufficiency Hub to develop a North American sufficiency hub.
- They are seeking funding to develop the North American Hub, which aims to reduce embodied carbon by reducing material demand, not just by finding lower carbon alternatives.
Jessica Bristow - ILFI
- Director of Building Programs, overseeing the Living Building Challenge, Energy Certification, and Zero Carbon Certification programs.
- New versions of building certification programs were launched last quarter, no longer requiring ILFI membership for access.
- Two significant additions to standards:
- New refrigerant tracking requirements, with future operational requirements based on collected data.
- A science-based carbon threshold for projects, aligned with LETI and SBTi levels.
- The call for proposals to speak at the Living Future 2025 event in Portland will open on August 1st.
- The program is seeking new members for the energy and carbon TAG, and the material health and water TAG, with applications for individual technical advisor roles accepted through July 31st.
Ralph DiNola - New Buildings Institute
- Getting to Zero Forum was held in Charlotte, North Carolina in May, which included a pre-conference Embodied Carbon Summit.
- The event featured leadership and interesting panels, with presentations available (unsure if only for registered attendees).
- Plans for another forum are in place, with a desire for partnerships with various organizations to ensure its success.
- Involved in supporting the DOD on their embodied carbon Unified Facilities Criteria code.
- Co-chairs the GSA’s Green Building Advisory Committee, which is currently working on a “Buy Clean” task group, welcoming participation from the general public.