Carbon Leadership Forum

Luke Lombardi, senior sustainability consultant at Buro Happold and a leader of the Carbon Leadership Forum's Regional Hub in Los Angeles, has been honored as one of the inaugural recipients of the SEAOC Emerging Leader Award. This prestigious recognition celebrates his outstanding contributions as the Chair of the Sustainable Design Committee. Luke’s leadership has been pivotal in encouraging the Structural Engineers Association of Southern California (SEAOC) to adopt a position statement on #embodiedcarbon reduction. Luke has been instrumental in preparing educational resources to support Structural Engineers Association of California (SEAOC) members in their sustainability efforts, particularly as the industry adapts to emerging embodied carbon policies like #CALGreen. Luke’s visionary approach and dedication have significantly advanced SEAOC’s mission, making a lasting impact on the organization’s commitment to sustainable design and environmental responsibility. https://lnkd.in/gUpS6UXB

Interesting story about high-level tech collaboration to reduce #embodiedcarbon: https://lnkd.in/gTH8nkCP

Major new #embodiedcarbon announcement from the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), which is implementing a new label program to help federal purchasers and other buyers find and buy cleaner, more climate-friendly construction materials and products. The label program is made possible by a $100 million investment from the Biden-Harris Administration’s Inflation Reduction Act and aims to cut climate pollution linked to the production of construction products and materials, which accounts for more than 15% of annual global greenhouse gas emissions. The #InflationReductionAct invests billions of dollars to reduce industrial emissions while supporting good union jobs, greater equity, and a strong manufacturing base, including $350 million to support EPA’s efforts to reduce #greenhousegasemissions from construction materials. 

Reducing #embodiedcarbon and optimizing MEP systems requires a strong framework for system thinking, a clear roadmap with stretch targets, and a thorough business case analysis to understand the return on investment. Viewpoint column by Ghina Annan, Associate and Decarbonization Business Lead at Stantec "The impact of #MEP (Mechanical, Electrical, and Plumbing) systems on a building’s embodied carbon is substantial, accounting for 15% to 50% throughout the building’s lifespan. This impact can rise to 70% or more in commercial buildings undergoing retrofits, as highlighted in CLF’s tenant fit-out study. The challenge of designing and specifying MEP equipment involves not only functional and operational efficiency but also minimizing the #lifecycle #carbonfootprint of these systems. My work involves supporting the industry in achieving national and global carbon reduction targets, including #netzero and climate emission goals." https://lnkd.in/gAqufPYi

Highlighting the Impact of Women in Architecture Kate Simonen, CLF’s founder and current board chair, is the recipient of a major award from Architectural Record. Architectural Record’s Women in Architecture Awards, the only program of its kind in the U.S., was started to shine a spotlight on the increasingly significant contributions of women design leaders, across generations and specialties. The annual awards ceremony not only acknowledges outstanding achievement but serves as inspiration to young architects moving up in the field. Award Description from Architectural Record: Kate Simonen | Founding director, Carbon Leadership Forum Based in Seattle, Simonen is founding director of the Carbon Leadership Forum and a professor of architecture at the University of Washington. Licensed as an architect and structural engineer, she connects professional experience in high-performance building design and technical expertise in life-cycle assessment to spur collective action toward bringing net embodied carbon to zero through cutting-edge research, cross-sector collaboration, and the incubation of new approaches. Under her management, the Carbon Leadership Forum has grown, becoming globally recognized for advancing embodied-carbon data, methods, and policy, and for inspiring and empowering collective action to achieve those ends. In 2024, joining more than 50 design leaders who have been recognized since the program’s launch, the five newest honorees are: ANGELA BROOKS Mimi Hoang Toni L. Griffin Susan Jones Kate Simonen This year’s awards jury comprised past awardees Stella Betts and Anne-Marie Duval ; Yasemin Kologlu , principal at Skidmore, Owings & Merrill (SOM); Chandra D. Robinson, principal at LEVER Architecture; and Mark Gardner, AIA, principal at JAKLITSCH / GARDNER ARCHITECTS. #embodiedcarbon https://lnkd.in/gT4XQrDF

Big news! Today it was announced that Kate Simonen is recipient of a major award from Architectural Record! * Highlighting the Impact of Women in Architecture* Architectural Record's Women in Architecture Awards, the only program of its kind in the U.S., was started to shine a spotlight on the increasingly significant contributions of women design leaders, across generations and specialties. The annual awards ceremony not only acknowledges outstanding achievement but serves as inspiration to young architects moving up in the field. "Kate Simonen | Founding director, Carbon Leadership Forum Based in Seattle, Simonen is founding director of the Carbon Leadership Forum and a professor of architecture at the University of Washington. Licensed as an architect and structural engineer, she connects professional experience in high-performance building design and technical expertise in life-cycle assessment to spur collective action toward bringing net embodied carbon to zero through cutting-edge research, cross-sector collaboration, and the incubation of new approaches. Under her management, the Carbon Leadership Forum has grown, becoming globally recognized for advancing #embodiedcarbon data, methods, and policy, as well as for inspiring and empowering #collectiveaction to achieve those ends. https://lnkd.in/gT4XQrDF

The market for low embodied carbon (LEC) construction materials is taking off! The federal  government, states, and the private sector are investing billions of dollars and creating demand  for the next generation of building materials. Third Way invites you to a webinar on August 15th from 1:00-2:30 PM ET where you will hear  about this growing market and how suppliers and general contractors can participate. We will  discuss how companies can navigate the procurement policies, technical support programs,  and investment opportunities that will help them take advantage of this evolving landscape. The webinar will include a keynote address and a presentation from the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) on available tools and resources. A panel discussion with experts from  Google, the GSA Administration, and the Colorado Department of Transportation will dive into their first-hand experience and contributions to the market. There  will also be a technology demonstration of BuiltCold—a new tool that provides supplier  matches, technical support, and project insights for this emerging market for LEC materials.  Please RSVP to secure your spot and get ready to catch the wave! https://lnkd.in/eMd_cVKD Rebecca von dem Hagen, MBA Ruth Cox Meghan Lewis Jordan Palmeri Stacy Smedley Catherine Grossman

Important analysis from Willy Carlsen, Ankita Gangotra, PhD, and Kevin Kennedy at World Resources Institute focused on opportunities for decarbonized cement options to transform the way we produce and use the most common building material in the world. "New innovations are yielding promising technological solutions for cement production, which has historically been considered one of the most challenging of the heavy industrial sectors to #decarbonize. As a key ingredient in #concrete, the primary material in our roads, bridges, homes and offices — and the second-most consumed material on the planet — cement’s massive scale makes it responsible for 8% of global carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions and about 1.5% of U.S. emissions. Reducing, avoiding or eliminating #cement emissions is a difficult puzzle to piece together given the extremely high heat requirements and CO2-producing chemical reactions of its production process, coupled with the material’s low price and the industry’s small profit margins. Meeting the U.S.’s net-zero goals of eliminating climate-harming emissions by 2050 will require the cement sector to decarbonize a lot faster than the current rate, according to the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE)." #embodiedcarbon https://lnkd.in/etkdPWuF

Eloquent and encouraging new essay by Edward Mazria of Architecture 2030 fame in ARCHITECT Magazine! Taming The Unruly Climate Beast From drastic CO2 reductions to surging solar investments, how the building sector is paving the path to a resilient, sustainable future. "The relentless drumbeat of climate disasters in the headlines—scorching heat waves, raging wildfires, historic floods, and crippling droughts—are no longer a series of anomalies. As a grim new reality across much of the globe, these extreme weather events, driven by human-induced climate change, are becoming more frequent and severe. In short, they are clearly symptomatic of a broader and more pervasive environmental crisis. Such calamities place an enormous strain on our built environment. Outdated infrastructure is overwhelmed under the pressure of severe weather, while buildings and equipment, not originally designed to withstand such extremes, are endangering lives by failing more often. Yet there are reasons for optimism. The built environment, rather than being merely a victim of climate change, is playing a critical role in adapting to and mitigating its most devastating impacts. Several exciting developments illustrate that a sustainable, resilient future is within reach...." https://lnkd.in/g8HDY8JW #decarbonization #embodiedcarbon #buildingindustry #climateaction Vincent Martinez

Women of Carbon documentary WORLD PREMIERE!! Hosted by Skanska Produced by sOlar eye communications Directed by Basia Myszynski + Leonard Myszynski Screening followed by Q&A, moderated by Stacy Smedley, Building Transparency. A groundbreaking documentary on women transforming construction while combating climate change. Echoing the spirit of the original Industrial Revolution, these visionary women are on a quest to effect change for a sustainable planet. Their innovative work in the built environment places them at the core of decarbonization, human health and economic opportunity. Directed by Basia + Leonard Myszynski, the film shares their inspiring journeys and collective vision for a better world. The film features many incredible women from across the Carbon Leadership Forum network of carbon leaders and activists, including Stacy Smedley, Mija Hubler, Freya Burton, Laura Hines-Pierce, Tabitha Stine, Rachael Jamison, Anyeley Hallova, Kate Simonen, Cristy Fiander, Rena Simon, Jenny Yang, Lisa Conway, Jennifer Holmgren, Kari Pei, Erica Spiritos, Susan Jones, Yasemin Kologlu, Lola Ben Alon, Leah Ellis, and men as well, including Yet-Ming Chiang, Ben Hayes, Wil V. Srubar III, PhD, and Don Davies PE,SE. #embodiedcarbon https://lnkd.in/gxP4JUHB