The Minnesota CLF chapter’s Specification Subgroup @hub-minn recently collaborated on a draft set of specification templates incorporating embodied carbon requirements into product performance and action submittals. This work builds on sample structural specifications published on CLF in 2018. Drafts can be accessed here and reviewed using track changes. We are seeking initial review and comments by Friday, August 16th, 2024.
https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1QM16Wd3P5RX59zek9oOMNSfI1Pv2fKJr?usp=sharing
We have included sections from Div 1, 3-9, and 12. How are these different? A few notes:
- Includes architectural and interior products.
- Each division specifies a Part 1 SUBMITTAL that includes an EPD with units relevant to that product type, and Part 2 CARBON PERFORMANCE section that references EC3.
- Some divisions are not included in EC3, so the CARBON PERFORMANCE section instructs the user to compare EPDs to inform product selection.
- Division 1 and each product division include reference to embodied carbon (Climate Health) as well as the four remaining categories of the AIA Materials Pledge and Common Materials Framework: Human Health, Ecosystem Health, Social Health, Circularity. Just a reminder that we don’t want to lose sight of progress in healthy materials and other categories as we make progress in reducing embodied carbon.
- Definitions of embodied carbon and LCA have been updated, and reference CLF North American material baseline carbon values.
- In alignment with recent best practices, within wood products we have added a requirement to show biogenic and extraction values as separate numbers for a full picture of carbon accounting.
- These are certification-agnostic.
- Specification sections are structured for the growth of Buy Clean and other carbon baseline initiatives. Minnesota has adopted Buy Clean legislation that will go into effect in 2026-2028. We will update the affected sections with new language as it becomes available.
- We are collaborative and would be happy to add language or rework in partnership with other jurisdictions.
Any suggested edits? Please review and comment on the Google Doc drafts in the folder using track changes by Friday, August 16th, 2024.
Special thanks to Andy Marolt (Ryan Companies), Laura Eder (ESG), Java Nyamjav (MSR Design), Annie Perkins (SFI)
-Simona Fischer (MSR Design)