We learned about it in middle school science class: the earth is comprised of carbon-based lifeforms. However, there is a name for the carbon that all living things embody: biogenic carbon.

We have a carbon equivalent of an EUI. Now, we need to be more aware, explicit, and consistent regarding the units we are using for operational and embodied carbon.

Governments and legislative bodies are targeting net zero carbon emissions in building operation and construction. For architects, targeting net zero carbon means that analyzing projects’ environmental footprints is more important now than ever.

Trees are also a tremendous carbon sink and may contribute significantly to reducing the lifecycle carbon intensity of any site development. Better yet, we have the tools to quantify the carbon sequestration potential of trees.

Proprietary concrete mix offers the same performance as traditional mixes, with significantly less carbon-laden cement.                                  

The Fenestration and Glazing Industry Alliance and the National Glass Association will host a joint webinar at 2 p.m. Eastern on Wednesday, August 24 featuring a demonstration of the Embodied Carbon in Construction Calculator tool - a free database of construction Environmental Product Declarations.

Vitro Architectural Glass announced that it has updated its online Glass Education Center website with a series of three new articles that address trending topics relating to sustainability, including a comprehensive review of embodied carbon, a discussion of biophilia and biophilic design and a review of green building codes and code organizations.

With the emergence of environmental, social, and governance reporting, companies are working rigorously to identify, assess, and reduce their greenhouse gas emissions.

The Cold-Formed Steel Engineers Institute will host a webinar on “The SE 2050 Commitment Program: Committing to Net-Zero Embodied Carbon” on Thursday, June 30, 2022 from 3:00 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. EDT. The webinar is designed for architects, engineers, building officials and contractors. Participants are eligible for 1.5 PDHs.  

Sustainability is too often seen as an afterthought to how we design and construct buildings.