Conquering Embodied Carbon Emissions for a Greener Future

Thursday, September 14, 2023
3:10 PM 4:10 PM 15:10 16:10

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Adapting Policy
Breakout 4: 3:10–4:10 p.m.

As greenhouse gas emissions from building energy use continue to fall due to energy code improvements, retrofits, and a lower carbon grid, the importance of tackling embodied carbon emissions from building products will keep rising. Liepa Braciulyte of New Buildings Institute will provide an introduction to embodied carbon and summarize building code proposals that Seattle is considering to require lower-carbon steel and concrete. Jess Harris from City of Seattle, Department of Construction and Inspections, will describe how permit incentives available for new construction can reduce building lifecycle embodied carbon. In addition, Sadie Carlson of Green Canopy NODE will translate emerging policy and embodied carbon research back to practice with a case study for a housing solution that leverages innovative construction techniques to optimize for embodied carbon, operational carbon, and cost. The investigation into the unique design advantages of cross-laminated timber in prefabricated modular construction outlines a systemic approach to decarbonization at scale. Furthermore, Jessica Martinez from DCI Engineers will present strategies that reduce the carbon footprint of concrete such as crafting efficient structural designs and coordinating procurement strategies that minimize carbon through mix design optimization and cement replacement.

Featured

Liepa Braciulyte, New Buildings Institute

Liepa Braciulyte is a Project Analyst on the Codes & Policy team at New Buildings Institute (NBI). Liepa conducts technical research on low-embodied carbon materials and supports the development of model and jurisdictional energy and building codes that help curb greenhouse gas emissions. Before NBI, Liepa worked on building decarbonization policy and research at Shift Zero, Northwest Energy Coalition (NWEC), and the City of Issaquah. Liepa earned a Master of Public Administration with a concentration in Environmental Policy from the University of Washington.

Sadie Carlson, Green Canopy NODE

Sadie has a background in architecture and sustainability consulting, working on a broad range of work spanning, urban planning, state policy advocacy, benchmarking, and corporate strategy. Sadie specializes in LCA modeling and material science with a holistic approach that targets economic strategy, climate/energy policy, resilience, and social equity. Green Canopy NODE leverages vertical integration, industry partners, and cutting-edge technology to crack the code on sustainable, prefabricated, CLT housing. As a Building Scientist, Sadie manages research and analysis on circularity, embodied carbon, and high-performance design.

Jess Harris, City of Seattle, Seattle Department of Construction and Inspections

Jess Harris is the Green Building Program Manager with the Seattle Department of Construction and Inspections. Jess is responsible for implementing, marketing, and managing SDCI’s green building incentive programs. Jess directed the creation of one of the region's first expedited permit incentives--Priority Green and has accepted two awards from Built Green for public sector advocacy. Jess works with many project teams to guide them through Seattle’s Living Building Pilot program. Jess has over 30 years industry experience, has been with the City of Seattle for over 20 years and is the green building expert at SDCI. Previously, Jess was a Senior Land Use Planner and worked on many private and public development projects including libraries, fire stations, schools, and Rainier Vista.

Jessica Martinez, DCI Engineers

Jessica Martinez is a sustainability specialist at DCI Engineers and serves to educate her peers and project teams on sustainable solutions for structural design. Since joining DCI in 2017, she has elevated her technical expertise as a structural engineer by becoming the go-to resource for embodied carbon reduction and low carbon concrete. She also leads the research of DCI’s life cycle assessment capabilities and has performed several integral studies that set the basis for the education of all staff. Aside from her internal efforts at DCI, she’s a dedicated advocate for the decarbonization of the building industry as a member of the CLF Seattle Hub Steering Committee, SE 2050 Committee and NCSEA Sustainable Design Committee.

Posted in Adapting Policy
Tagged Breakout 4