An Introduction to Embodied Carbon & Buildings

Is a building more like a river or a rock?

A building seems to just sit there*, so in that sense it seems to be more like a rock. But in reality every building material, and thus the entire building itself, is a snapshot in time of a river of resources and energy flowing from natural ecosystems into our use, and then, ultimately flowing back into the environment

All along the way, this flow of energy and resources emits carbon and other molecules into the sky, changing atmospheric chemistry and imbalancing our climate’s equilibrium. We’ve long known that this is both happening and that it’s a problem. What’s different now is that human society is waking up to the fact that we must work together to chart a new course forward. A course that recognizes the importance of reducing the both operational and embodied, or upfront, carbon emissions. 

That’s where our guest today comes in. Andrew Himes is all about helping groups move society forward by focusing on the convergence of technology, communication and social activism. Join us for this fast paced and compelling interview with Andrew as we talk about the theory of change for industry transformation using data & tools, policy change, and collective action. 

*From a building science perspective, we know that a building’s enclosure seems static and solid but is actually constantly and dynamically mediating the flows of heat, light, sound, vibration, odor, microbes, allergens, water and air (mass) between the interior and exterior conditions.

Links & Resources

Carbon Leadership Forum

MEP 2040

Andrew’s TEDx Seattle Talk : Save our buildings, Save our Planet

Team

Hosted & Produced by Kristof Irwin

Engineered & Edited by Nico Mignardi

Produced by M. Walker