When LETI published their Climate Emergency Design Guide in 2019, embodied carbon was the new word on the block for a lot of designers involved in sustainable construction. While the LETI report and other documents published at the time raised awareness, on the whole the industry was lacking in the experience and data needed to embed this issue into projects.
Five years on, architects, engineers and contractors have been hard at work grappling with this challenge. With the recent announcement of the pilot UK Net Zero Carbon Building Standard, this feels like the perfect time to share knowledge and raise the bar when it comes to lowering embodied carbon in our projects.
Join us for a half day of talks from expert speakers to get into the real world detail of achieving genuinely low carbon buildings.
What is embodied carbon?
Embodied carbon is commonly discussed in the context of the built environment, where it refers to the greenhouse gas emissions associated with various stages of a building's life cycle. This includes emissions from raw material extraction, material transportation, construction waste, building operations and maintenance, as well as the emissions released after the building is decommissioned.
Because embodied carbon is embedded within the materials and manufacturing processes, it is often overlooked when assessing a building's carbon footprint. Unlike operational carbon, which is produced during the building's use, embodied carbon remains hidden.
In this discussion, we will examine what constitutes embodied carbon, how it differs from operational carbon, its environmental impact, and the strategies the construction industry can adopt to lower embodied carbon for more sustainable development.
Sponsor
With thanks to Ibstock for sponsoring this event.
We welcome attendees from across the construction industry to our events. Local RIBA Members are also welcome and encouraged to come along to our monthly open meetings, to join in the discussion and to direct and contribute to Branch activities.
