Investigation: Embodied Carbon
The built environment significantly contributes to Global Warming Potential (GWP) through energy use and the embodied carbon of construction materials. Our research introduces embodied carbon and Life Cycle Assessment (LCA), exploring workflows for conducting LCAs with tools like Tally. This case study demonstrates LCA implementations at key design stages to quantify material selection impacts, ultimately guiding critical design choices that reduce building carbon footprints.
March 14, 2025 | Posted by Author: Kate Sector Advisor: Ryan Yaden
Architects, aided by increasingly strict energy codes and greater client and firm commitments to sustainability, can decrease buildings’ operational impacts by reducing energy use intensity (EUI) and integrating more renewable energy sources into projects. However, the embodied carbon of materials has not seen the same degree of improvement yet. As buildings become more efficient and operational energy decreases as a result, addressing embodied carbon becomes an equally pressing issue for the architecture industry.
between now and 2060 the world’s population will be doubling the amount of building floor space, equivalent to building an entire New York City every month for 40 years.Architecture2030, 2021
By analyzing various stages through LCA tools, designers can estimate the various environmental impacts of the materials they choose. LCAs can help designers and building owners make informed choices regarding the environmental impact, cost, and resilience of their building materials through benchmarking and comparison.