Committee on the Environment (COTE): Engineering and Carbon

Event Description

Net zero energy is not enough to eliminate the emissions associated with buildings. As more and more projects are designed for net zero or net zero ready, the embodied carbon footprint of each project takes on a larger share of the building industry’s carbon footprint. The structural and MEP engineering of buildings can account for more than half of embodied carbon in some new construction projects, so it’s critical that architects partner with their engineers to comprehensively reduce embodied carbon throughout all disciplines from the very beginning of conceptual design. This presentation will share insights on structural and MEP embodied carbon from two leading sustainable engineers on how to design projects to minimize the total carbon footprint of projects, illustrated by vignettes and case studies from recent projects and studies.

Co-hosted by the Committee on the Environment (COTE), Sustainability Education Committee, Building Enclosure Council (BEC), and Carbon Leadership Forum Boston/Northeast Hub (CLF).

Presenters

Patrick Murphy, PE, LEED AP BD+C, CHPC

Principal | Director of Sustainable Design

Vanderweil Engineers

Suzanne Robinson, PE, LEED AP

Associate Principal | Director of Sustainability

LeMessurier Engineers