October 2024 Meeting of the NGO/Government Roundtable on Embodied Carbon

Roundtable: NGO/Government Alignment
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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.

On October 10, the Roundtable meeting included 64 attendees from over 50 organizations, and featured an opening presentation by Katie Poss (Building Transparency) & Michelle Lambert (CLF staff) on new publications by the ECHO (Embodied Carbon Harmonization and Optimization) Project, followed by updates from 16 additional organizations.

Presenters

  1. Katie Poss, Building Transparency, and Michelle Lambert, CLF
  2. Emily Coleman, King County Wastewater Treatment Division
  3. Mikhail Haramati, NRDC
  4. Scott Shell, ClimateWorks Foundation
  5. Craig Walloch, Concrete Masonry and Hardscapes Association (CMHA)
  6. Erin McDade, Architecture 2030
  7. Sonja O’Claire Sound Transit, WA State
  8. Cecilia Wandiga, Centre for Science and Technology Innovations (CSTI)
  9. Nickson Otiento, NikoGreen
  10. Jacqueline Hart, International Living Future Institute
  11. Willy Carlsen, World Resources Institute (WRI)
  12. Gordon P. Sharp & Dirk von Below— International Institute for Sustainable Laboratories (I2SL)
  13. Natalie Georgieff, University of Minnesota Center for Sustainable Building Research
  14. Kayleigh Houde, Chair of MEP2040 Steering Committee, Buro Happold
  15. Brad Nies, GSA
  16. Monica Schroeder, BuildChange
  17. Philip Horton, Southwest Sustainability Innovation Engine (Arizona State University - Center of Building Innovation)

Notes

Katie Poss, Building Transparency, and Michelle Lambert, CLF on the ECHO Project

  • Tally 2.0 Update:
    • Building Transparency is developing Tally 2.0, a whole-building lifecycle assessment tool and Revit plugin, set for release in Q2 2025.
    • Interactive reporting, streamlined processes, new datasets, and alignment with industry standards via the ECHO schema.
    • The tool will be free and open access.
  • ECHO Project Overview
    • ECHO aims to harmonize embodied carbon data collection and reporting across organizations, Initiated two years ago, CLF now manages it after being convened by Architecture 2030.
    • 2024 Goals:
      • Convene ECHO members.
      • Establish governance and decision-making structures.
      • Publish consensus-based documents on data alignment.
      • Promote adoption of the schema and lifecycle assessment (LCA) requirements.
  • ECHO Schema
    • A working group developed ECHO Schema v1.0 to standardize embodied carbon reporting, recently published along with a white paper.
    • The schema includes over 500 fields (required, recommended, and optional) for reporting embodied carbon data, with programs encouraged to adopt key fields.
  • Project LCA Requirements
    • Analyzed 29 programs and certifications to create LCA requirements across 10 key areas, detailing minimum standards, recommended practices, and future goals.
    • The ECHO project covers buildings, infrastructure, and landscapes.
  • Next Steps for ECHO
    • Tool developers are integrating the ECHO schema into various platforms, with resources hosted on GitHub.
    • Collaboration with the Global Building Data Initiative will support a global LCA results database.
    • Stakeholders are encouraged to share detailed LCA results and engage with ECHO resources.
  • How to Get Involved:
    • Sign up for updates via the ECHO website.
    • Organizations can reach out to Michelle Lambert for future collaborations.

Emily Coleman, King County Wastewater Treatment Division

  • Overview of King County’s Efforts
    • King County’s Wastewater Treatment Division is leading the county’s strategic climate action plan for embodied carbon, with a specific focus on concrete use in industrial projects.
    • Although no projects using the new embodied carbon specifications have gone into construction yet, they are being integrated into upcoming projects. Future efforts will expand to other materials beyond cast-in-place concrete.
  • Capacity Building & Workshops
    • King County is kicking off efforts to engage more county agencies, starting with a workshop led by Jordan from CLF on embodied carbon. Specifications will be developed across agencies over the next couple of years.
  • Climate Pollution Reduction Grant
    • King County has received a nearly $50 million grant from the U.S. EPA, with part of it allocated for embodied carbon work. This includes funding for a full-time employee to focus on embodied carbon at the county and regional levels, starting in 2025. This role will support public project specifications and promote embodied carbon regulation in local industries and state building codes.
  • Strategic Climate Action Plan Updates
    • King County’s 2025 Strategic Climate Action Plan will continue to include and potentially increase embodied carbon requirements. The updated five-year plan is expected to be released in early 2025, around Earth Day.

Mariane Jang, New York State Office of General Services

  • New York has two sets of current embodied carbon guidance:
    • Executive Order 22 Guidance: Agencies are required to collect information on quantities of materials like concrete, steel, glass, and asphalt, along with Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs) where available. This data will help set baselines and develop reduction strategies.
    • Buy Clean Concrete Guidelines: Effective January, these guidelines include Global Warming Potential (GWP) limits for concrete and mandate EPDs for concrete mixes.
  • Whole Project LCA Guidance
    • New York is collaborating with Arup and the Carbon Leadership Forum to develop Whole Project Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) guidelines for state projects. The timeline for completion is still being determined.
  • Performance-Based Concrete Specifications
    • The state is working on developing performance-based specifications for concrete, in preparation for stricter GWP limits in 2027.
  • Educational Webinar Series
    • New York State offers a webinar series covering various topics like glass and steel EPDs. The invitation to join will be shared with the group.
  • NYS Office of General Services - Reducing Embodied Carbon

Mikhail Haramati, NRDC

  • California Initiatives
    • SB 596: Focuses on California’s zero-emission cement legislation, which mandates the use of zero-emission cement across the state by 2045, covering both domestic and imported cement. NRDC has been active in providing feedback to the California Air Resources Board (CARB) team working on this legislation.
    • AB 2446: Embodied carbon legislation targeting a 40% reduction in emissions from building materials by 2040, including the development of a baseline for calculating emissions reductions. Michal and the NRDC team have been closely engaged with CARB workshops on this topic and are submitting comments on the use of Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs) and data quality.
  • Engagement and Collaboration
    • Coordination on submitting comments for AB 2446, which are due soon, is invited. NRDC is part of the California Cement DECARB Coalition and is planning a convening in November, along with a tour of an import terminal in Stockton, California.
  • National Concrete Initiatives
    • Low-carbon concrete convenings organized by RMI on behalf of the White House’s Office of Science and Technology Policy and Council on Environmental Quality have focused on achieving 50% and 100% reductions in concrete emissions, addressing both workforce and policy requirements. The most recent discussions were held in Boston.
  • Future Events and Strategy
    • The NRDC team is strategizing decarbonization approaches in California and other states, and collaboration on these initiatives is encouraged.
  • AB 2446 Workshop Recordings and Public Comment Link

Scott Shell, ClimateWorks Foundation

  • Concrete’s Impact on Embodied Carbon
    • Concrete accounts for nearly half of the embodied carbon in buildings, as highlighted in the CLF California Carbon Report. Unlike other materials, concrete’s composition can be altered at local batch plants without building new facilities, providing significant opportunities for carbon reduction.
  • Carbon Reduction Targets
    • A target of lowering concrete’s CO2 emissions to 200 kg per cubic meter for 4,000 PSI concrete is recommended. This compares to current standards, such as the GSA’s 284 kg CO2 benchmark, and shows that lower achievable targets, like those from the Minn Road project and UK data, can reduce emissions to 200 kg CO2 or less through clinker replacement and optimized mixes.
  • National and Global Efforts
    • The National ReadyMix Concrete Association (NRMCA) has set ambitious CO2 reduction goals in its roadmap, aiming for 262 kg CO2 per cubic meter by 2024 and 196 kg CO2 by 2028.
    • International comparisons, such as data from the UK, show that lower CO2 targets are feasible, with concrete there already achieving reductions below U.S. benchmarks.
    • Recent innovations, including those from Dr. Tyler Lay and test pours at the White House convening in Chicago, demonstrated concrete mixes as low as 120 kg CO2 per cubic meter.
  • Call to Action
    • Achieving these lower CO2 emissions is possible, but proper planning, including test mixes and trial pours, is essential to ensure successful implementation. ClimateWorks encourages adopting the most ambitious targets to accelerate progress in reducing embodied carbon in concrete.

Craig Walloch, Concrete Masonry and Hardscapes Association (CMHA)

  • EPD for CMU
    • CMHA issued an industry-average Environmental Product Declaration (EPD) for Concrete Masonry Units (CMU), highlighting Drycast’s ability to sequester CO2.
    • 21% CO2 sequestration within 28 days and 49% at two years of service.
  • Partnering with MIT Concrete Sustainability Hub to model Drycast-specific data and refine sustainability models.
  • Developing PCR 2025 to include sequestration and carbonation for Drycast, with a focus on technologies using CO2 during curing.
  • Collaborating with NEU, ACI, and Building Transparency to enhance carbon modeling for masonry.
  • Leading a task group in the NISLO Carbon Cement Concrete Consortium to establish guidelines for measuring carbon uptake in hardened concrete.
  • CMHA is working to provide resources and guidance to the design community for low-carbon materials and accurate carbon accounting.

Erin McDade, Architecture 2030

  • Climate Action Planning Framework
    • Comprehensive 10-step framework for climate action planning in the built environment, addressing both adaptation and mitigation goals.
    • Developed by synthesizing climate action plans from across the sector, designed for all building professionals.
  • Decarbonization Framework for Landscape and Infrastructure
    • Focuses on reducing embodied carbon beyond buildings, addressing the exterior built environment.
    • Organized around four main questions: Should we build, how much, where, and how?
    • Includes 35 policy precedents to guide decarbonization planning.
  • 2030 Palette Expansion
    • Collaboration with Climate Positive Design to add new swatches to the 2430 Palette.
    • Expanded to include landscapes, infrastructure, and planning with a strong focus on embodied carbon, including strategies like afforestation and coastal seaforestation drawdown.

Sonja O’Claire Sound Transit, WA State

  • Overview of Sound Transit
    • Regional transit agency established in 1996, serving the central Puget Sound area (Seattle and surrounding counties).
    • Building the largest expansion in the U.S., covering 116 miles and a $54 billion budget, serving 3.3 million people with light rail, rail, and bus services.
  • Addressing embodied carbon
    • Achieved a 34% reduction in operational emissions from a 2018 baseline in 2023.
    • Embodied carbon reduction efforts are in early stages, Targeting concrete and steel in station parking garages, with reductions between 20-33% in recent projects.
  • Piloting LCA Calculations
    • Piloting Life Cycle Assessments (LCA) for stations and maintenance facilities in larger light rail expansion projects.
    • Future goals include exploring zero carbon certifications and refining materials to further lower embodied carbon.
  • Challenges
    • Difficulty in accounting for embodied carbon reductions within operational emissions reporting structures.
    • Working to bridge the gap between embodied and operational emissions for clearer community and official communication.
  • Exploring New Materials
    • Investigating next steps for reducing emissions from other carbon-intensive materials beyond concrete and steel.
    • Aiming to track and reduce embodied carbon across additional construction materials.
  • Climate Action Planning
  • Exterior Built Environment Decarbonization Framework
  • 2030 Palette

Cecilia Wandiga, Centre for Science and Technology Innovations (CSTI)

  • Overview of CSTI
    • Focus: Integrating local dialogue and solutions for decarbonization in the Kenyan construction sector.
    • Collaboration: Partnering with the Chartered Institute of Buildings (CIOB) in Kenya to explore embodied carbon and decarbonization pathways.
    • Local Involvement: The CIOB is engaging with structural engineering perspectives, including density considerations and concrete mix adjustments.
  • Key Activities and Goals
    • Webinar on Decarbonization
      • A joint webinar with CIOB will focus on embodied carbon and building density, featuring insights from the Carbon Leadership Forum’s Policy Toolkit.
    • Concrete Mix Testing
      • Institute for Cement and Concrete at Mary University is exploring LC3 technologies, while also considering conventional concrete for projects.
      • Concrete testing involves resistance probes to monitor concrete setting, working with Kenya Highway Transportation Authority to ensure mixes are appropriate for structural integrity and safety.
    • Challenges in Concrete Use
      • Risk of building collapse is linked to poor concrete mixes, necessitating careful monitoring and testing.
      • Aim to reduce concrete usage while ensuring structural reliability.
  • Architecture Association of Kenya Convention 2024 Magazine
  • 3iF Framework for Kenya

Nickson Otiento, NikoGreen

  • Building Decarbonization Roadmap in Kenya
    • Initiative: Kenya is starting work on a building decarbonization roadmap, with involvement from diverse actors in the building and climate action sectors.
    • Lead Organization: The initiative is convened by the State Department of Public Works, alongside global stakeholders like the Global Building Performance Network.
  • Progress and Activities:
    • Stakeholder Engagement:
      • A workshop and stakeholder forum have already taken place, leading to the formation of working groups.
    • Focus Areas for Working Groups:
      • Material Efficiency
      • Planning Issues
      • Enabling Environment (policy and capacity building)
    • Next Steps:
      • Baseline assessments of the current status of the sector and target setting.
      • Nickson is leading the efficiency working group, focusing on both operational carbon and embodied carbon.

Jacqueline Hart, International Living Future Institute

  • ECHO Project Contribution:
    • ILFI has contributed to the ECHO project, providing input to the DOE’s work on defining zero emission buildings. Findings from this will be incorporated into ILFI’s standards.
  • New Project Type: Zero Carbon Pathways for Existing Buildings:
    • ILFI is developing a new project type to help existing buildings achieve zero carbon certification without needing major capital investments or renovations. This is particularly useful for portfolio climate clients aiming to bring multiple projects to zero carbon standards.
  • Published Updates (Spring 2024):
    • Living Building Challenge 4.1
    • Zero Carbon Certification 1.1
    • Zero Energy Certification 1.1
    • All available for free on ILFI’s website, requiring basic information for access.
  • ILFI’s Living Future Accreditation is now more accessible, featuring updated mini-courses and virtual, self-paced options. It includes small quizzes, making it a flexible learning tool for teams.
  • Upcoming Affordable Housing Summit (October 24-25, Virtual):
    • This summit will focus on community culture and sustainability in affordable housing, highlighting topics like healthier and accessible materials in a decarbonizing sector. Jacqueline invites attendees to join and access ILFI’s affordable housing guidance on their website.
  • GreenBuild and ILFI Conference in Spring 2025:
    • GreenBuild next month: Jacqueline and team will be attending—reach out if you’re attending and want to connect.
  • ILFI Conference in Portland, Oregon (May 6-8, 2025): Early bird pricing available.
  • ILFI’s ZC Pilot Project
  • Living Future Accreditation
  • Affordable Housing Summit 2024
  • Affordable Housing Materials Resources
  • Living Future 2025 Conference

Willy Carlsen, World Resources Institute (WRI)

  • Cement Decarbonization Articles:
    • Blended Cements in the U.S.: A call for increased use of blended cements.
    • Low Carbon Cement Projects in the U.S.: An analysis of current low-carbon cement projects and companies.
  • Clean Hydrogen Tax Credit (45V):
    • WRI published an article discussing the 45V clean hydrogen tax credit, focusing on how clean hydrogen can help reduce embodied carbon in iron and steel production.
  • Impact Act 2.0:
    • WRI has issued statements on Impact Act 2.0 and provided a project update. This bipartisan bill focuses on decarbonizing cement, concrete, and asphalt sectors through R&D and green procurement policies, including advanced market commitments.
  • International Collaboration on Industrial Decarbonization:
    • WRI’s team published an article on the need for greater international collaboration in industrial decarbonization efforts.
  • Forum for International Green Industry (FIGI):
    • Monthly Newsletter: WRI continues to distribute the FIGI newsletter, sharing knowledge on international decarbonization efforts.
    • Special Edition (October): Focuses on key developments from Climate Week (New York) and the Clean Energy Ministerial (Brazil).
    • LinkedIn Page: Follow WRI’s FIGI LinkedIn page for more updates and discussions.
  • International Cooperation on Industrial Decarbonization
  • Blended Cements in the US
  • Cement Decarbonization Projects in the US
  • 45V Clean Hydrogen Article
  • Impact Act Statement
  • Impact Act 2.0 Statement
  • Impact Act 2.0 Project Update

Gordon P. Sharp & Dirk von Below— International Institute for Sustainable Laboratories (I2SL)

  • Labs to Zero Program Overview
    • Goal: Accelerate decarbonization of laboratories globally.
    • Timeline: Started in 2022, aiming for completion by 2026.
    • Key Elements:
      • Lab Benchmarking Tool:
        • World’s largest lab energy database, now enhanced to cover energy operational emissions and embodied carbon.
        • Over 1200 lab buildings and 200 million square feet of lab space already included.
        • Developed in partnership with Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratories and is crowd-sourced.
        • Allows buildings to benchmark against peers.
      • Scorecard (Energy Star for Labs):
        • Labs aren’t covered by Energy Star; this fills that gap, covering energy, operational emissions, and eventually embodied carbon.
      • Certification: Labs will receive scores based on benchmarks.
      • Training and Support: To help labs decarbonize with automated audits and practical guidance.
  • Emphasis on Embodied Carbon
    • Focus on Structural Design:
      • Laboratories often have stringent vibration and heavy load requirements, which result in high use of concrete and steel.
      • The team is working to help architects, engineers, and owners reduce structural loads and embodied carbon.
    • Collaborative Efforts:
      • Engaged with Brad Benke from CLF to develop their embodied carbon schema.
      • They’re looking to harmonize their data with CLF’s database to improve accuracy and consistency.
    • LCA Technologies:
      • Use technologies similar to LEED and CLF’s recommendations for life cycle analysis (LCA).
    • Current Status:
      • 55 laboratories have already provided LCA data. The goal is to expand this database for wider use.
  • I2SL Website

Natalie Georgieff, University of Minnesota Center for Sustainable Building Research

  • Minnesota’s Buy Clean Overview:

    • Minnesota is part of the federal By Clean partnership, focusing on reducing embodied carbon and setting Global Warming Potential (GWP) limits in construction.

  • Task Force Formation:

    • Legislation: Signed by Governor Walz in August 2023.
    • Task Force: Established in October 2023, led by the Department of Administration and Department of Transportation.

  • Timeline:

    • Pilot Program: Launched in July 2023, focusing on materials like concrete, asphalt, steel, and rebar.
    • Next Steps: Final recommendations in Spring 2024 and the first legislative report due December 2025.

  • Previous Work:

    • CSBR & CLF Partnership: Published a 2022 legislative report to guide policy.
    • B3 Guidelines: Over 20 years old, focusing on EPDs with plans for more comprehensive LCA approaches.

  • Focus Areas:

    • Materials: Concrete, asphalt, and steel are prioritized, with exploration into additional materials.
    • Policy: Setting initial targets with market corrections as conditions shift.

  • Next Steps:

    • Ongoing data analysis on material impacts and refining strategies for embodied carbon limits.
    • The program is progressing with diverse stakeholder input, aiming for stronger embodied carbon policies and comprehensive building decarbonization strategies.

  • Minnesota Buy Clean

  • Pilot Program

Kayleigh Houde, Chair of MEP2040 Steering Committee, Arup

  • MEP 2040 Guide for Measuring Embodied Carbon:
    • MEP 2040 is creating a guide specifically for measuring embodied carbon in MEP systems (mechanical, electrical, and plumbing systems), a crucial area due to their significant whole life carbon impact.
    • Release: Expected by mid-November 2024.
    • Focus Areas:
      • A1 to A3: Measurement of embodied carbon across MEP systems (piping, ductwork, equipment, geothermal, plumbing, vertical transportation).
      • Life Cycle Stages: Includes guidance on stages A4 to D, covering the full life cycle of systems.
  • Key Components:
    • Case Study: A deep dive into measuring embodied carbon across projects, showing functional equivalence between different building types (e.g., lab vs academic).
    • Measurement Methodology: Walkthroughs for material takeoffs (wiring, conduit, etc.), and guidance on avoiding common pitfalls and modeling gaps.
    • Consistency: Standardized approach to calculating embodied carbon across different stages, including refrigerant calculations, replacements, and system renewals.
  • Challenges Addressed:
    • Variability: Differences in systems and buildings (e.g., San Diego vs Chicago) and repeated system replacements increase the embodied carbon across the life of a building.
  • Calls to Action:
    • EPDs: Push for more and better Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs) for MEP systems.
    • Benchmarking: More case studies needed to understand MEP carbon footprints across various buildings.
    • Policy Inclusion: Advocating for MEP systems to be included in certifications and policies, recognizing their impact on whole life carbon.
  • The guide will provide a standardized, accessible methodology for measuring MEP embodied carbon and encourage more research, EPDs, and policy inclusion in the U.S. to support decarbonization efforts.

Brad Nieces, GSA

  • ASHRAE ICC Standard 240:
    • Goal: New standard for quantifying life cycle greenhouse gas emissions.
    • Status: Committee addressing public comments, aiming for code adoption next year.
  • GSA IRA Loan Body Carbon Program:
    • Progress: 17,000 EPDs issued in the past 12 months.
  • Future Plan: GSA will emphasize “best in class” materials (top 20%) in projects where available.
    • Extra Credit: Companies offering the lowest carbon materials will receive additional credit in bids.
  • Purpose: Encourage better industry practices and reward those making impactful carbon reductions.
  • ASHRAE TM65:
    • Release: New calculation methodology for embodied carbon in building services.

Monica Schroeder, BuildChange

  • Study on Embodied Carbon:
    • Focus: Strengthening existing housing vs. new construction for disaster and climate resilience.
    • Findings: Retrofitting existing homes can save embodied carbon compared to building new homes in the same location.
    • Data: Based on BuildChange’s global housing projects.
    • Link: Report available in the chat.
  • Philippines Program:
    • Goal: Retrofitting housing with low-carbon materials for climate and disaster resilience.
    • Progress: First round of 37 houses completed, with ongoing implementation in partnership with Wholesome.
  • COP Participation:
    • Opportunity: Available to discuss embodied carbon at COP.

Philip Horton, Southwest Sustainability Innovation Engine (Arizona State University - Center of Building Innovation)

  • Overview:
    • Focus: NSF-funded engine focused on sustainability and economic development in the Desert Southwest (Phoenix area).
    • Key Areas: Water, energy systems, carbon reduction, and embodied carbon.
  • Support Offered:
    • Funding for Partners: Distribute NSF grant funding to accelerate technology and material system development, adoption, and workforce capacity building.
    • Examples:
      • Low Carbon Concrete: Supporting the scaling and adoption of ultra-low-carbon concrete.
      • Bio-based Phase Change Materials: Assisting with challenges in product adaptability for energy-efficient building systems.
  • Opportunities:
    • Testbed Support & Adoption Readiness: Helping technology reach a higher readiness level and supporting workforce development.
    • Call for Partners: Looking to engage partners in the built environment to reduce embodied carbon with funding and support.