Embodied carbon, biogenic carbon, reduction strategies and ...
Transcript of Embodied carbon, biogenic carbon, reduction strategies and ...
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© 2020 Austin Energy
Embodied carbon, biogenic carbon, reduction strategies and policy
Martin Torres
AIA COTE
Graduate Engineer, AEGB
April 8, 2021
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Agenda
Embodied carbon basics
Biogenic carbon
Embodied carbon reduction strategies
Carbon Leadership Forum (CLF) policy efforts
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Source: SKANSKA
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Source: LETI Embodied Carbon Primer (Jan 2020 edition)
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Environmental Impact CategoriesGlobal Warming
Potential (kg CO2 eq)Non-renewable
Energy Demand (MJ)Eutrophication
Potential (kg N eq)Acidification Potential
(kg SO2 eq)Smog Formation
Potential (kg O3 eq)Ozone Depletion
Potential(kg CFC-11 eq)
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Embodied impacts for commercial construction
Most emissions are from the structure
Structure is mostly concrete and/or steel
Concrete impact is mostly from cement. Cement ≠ Concrete
75%
15%
5%5%
0%
100%
Other
MEP
Enclosure
Structure
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5.7
6.0
8.9
11.0
5.7
22.4
6.8
15.8
10.0
10.0
6.9
10.0
9.8
11.6
11.0
15.1
23.5
17.6
74.7
6.5
11.0
12.7
16.1
19.8
22.8
24.0
32.9
45.0
50.0
88.2
Caspian Region
OECD Pacific
Middle East
Other Asia
Latin America
ASEAN
Europe
North America
India
China
Africa
Building floor additions from 2020 (billions m2)
2030 2040 2060
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1.7 2.2 2.9
3.6 4.5 1.0
1.3
1.5
1.8
2.0
0.4
0.6
0.8
1.2
1.6
-
1.0
2.0
3.0
4.0
5.0
6.0
7.0
8.0
9.0
10.0
2010 2020 2030 2040 2050
Po
pu
lati
on
in m
illio
ns
of
pe
op
lePopulation growth in Central Texas
Williamson Co.
Travis Co.
Hays Co.
Caldwell Co.
Bastrop Co.
Austin MSA
1.28x
1.61x
2.02x
1.00x
0.76x
Source: Texas State Data Center, 2018 Population Projections
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10Source: World GBC Advancing Net Zero Status Report
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BigNeglectedSolvable
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Agenda
Embodied carbon basics
Biogenic carbon
Embodied carbon reduction strategies
Carbon Leadership Forum (CLF) policy efforts
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Source: CLT Info Sheets, TallWood Design Institute
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Carbon over Life of Wood Product
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16Source: CLT Info Sheets, TallWood Design Institute
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0/0
-1/+1
Dynamic LCA
Dynamic LCA GWPbio
Source: Biogenic carbon in buildings: a critical overview of LCA methods (Hoxha, 2020)
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Source: CLT Buildings: a WBLCA case study series, TallWood Design Institute
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CLT case studies in Tally and Athena (kg CO2e/m2)
300 262332 276 214 180
557480
296 260202 186 227 202101 93
204 207114 119
23990
228 185 13252
541
-936
274123
A-CDistrict office
A-D Carbon12 CLT parking garage CLT house BC passive housefactory
Athena
Tally with biogenic
Tally without biogenic
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Knowledge gaps
Transparency and impacts of
pesticides and fertilizer use
Linking complex carbon models to
CLT and wood product use
Stored carbon content
Timing of biogenic and fossil fuel
emissions
CLT carbon storage in landfills
Life cycle data for all stages
Lack of LCAs
Impacts of CLT sealants, finishes,
and metal connections
WBLCA and CLT data
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What can we do now?
1. Select CLT from sustainably
managed forests (FSC certified)
2. Reuse or recycle CLT panels at
end of life
3. Design with specific
manufacturer size to avoid waste
4. Use interlocking CLT that doesn’t
require adhesives
5. Expose CLT wood to avoid
additional materials like gypsum
6. Choose regional manufacturer
7. Air dry lumber
8. Upgrade drying kilns and power
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Agenda
Embodied carbon basics
Biogenic carbon
Embodied carbon reduction strategies
Carbon Leadership Forum (CLF) policy efforts
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REDEFINEthe solution
REFURBISHexisting assets
REDUCE & REPLACEmaterials and structure
REUSEproducts and materials
REQUIRElow carbon products
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MATERIALQUANTITYESTIMATE
IMPACTPER MATERIAL
EPDS
BUILDINGIMPACT
ESTIMATE
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LCA Overview
Initiate Assessment
1
Define the Building
2
Determine Environmental Impacts
3
Interpret Results
4
Prepare Reports
5
What is the goal and scope?
Size, scale, construction, use, and end-of-life scenarios
Which LCA tool do you use?
Is the analysis sufficient to meet project goals?
Document analysis and findings
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Primary high impact materials
Concrete - It’s about total cement content, not (just) fly ash replacement
Steel - Electric arc furnace (wide flange, recycled) over basic oxygen furnace
(HSS, virgin ore)
Wood - Is it coming from a sustainably managed forest?
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Secondary high impact materials
Insulation - Stay away from high intensity HFC blowing agents
Gypsum - Specify lightweight gypsum and eliminate waste material
Envelope - Lower WWRs, reduce aluminum use, prioritize recycled aluminum
Carpet - Specify low-carbon carpet tile products
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Agenda
Embodied carbon basics
Biogenic carbon
Embodied carbon reduction strategies
Carbon Leadership Forum (CLF) policy efforts
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32© Copyright 2020, Carbon Leadership Forum 32
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CLF Austin
Future initiatives
LCA Workshop: Thursday, April 29th
SE 2050 overview
Outreach/coordination/mentorship
Climate Equity Plan implementation
Buy Clean ATX - EPD support
Continue to host information
sessions and discussions
Past events
EC3 demonstration with Stacy Smedley
Material presentation (concrete, steel, timber)
Climate Equity Plan overview
Climate Equity Plan comments and discussion
Local embodied carbon needs (discussion)
CarbonCure
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Buy Clean Policies
EPD requirement for certain materials
Set GWP maximums for procurement
Drive maximums down over time
You can’t reduce what you don’t measure!
Disclose impact data
Set performance-based standards
Use incentives
© Copyright 2020, Carbon Leadership Forum 36
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59
116
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150
332
478
492
916
1439
1676
6981
23396
Virginia
Alabama
Nevada
New Mexico
South Carolina
Florida
Nebraska
Iowa
Ohio
Illinois
North Carolina
Georgia
Colorado
New York
Oregon
Washington
New Jersey
California
Concrete EPDs in EC3
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Recap
Embodied carbon (and other stuff) vs. operational carbon
We’re building a lot
Big, neglected, solvable
Wood is complicated. More data, more research, put it to use
All biogenic carbon models are wrong. Some are useful
More sustainably harvested forests
Use less material then use better material
Proportion efforts to outcome
Art imitates life imitates art
Talk about embodied carbon
More LCA + EPDs
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Here are the resources I linked at the end of the presentation:Join the CLF (global) - https://network.carbonleadershipforum.org/Sign up for CLF Austin updates - https://forms.gle/7pFFmzbXzkxukDZ66CLF Austin Youtube - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCR008w9yMCvEGyzmY_r9Y5wBiogenic carbon accounting of wood products in WBLCA - https://youtu.be/7XTzKESNGEUTallWood Design Institute CLT reports - http://tallwoodinstitute.org/projects/carbon-impacts-cltLETI embodied carbon primer - http://tallwoodinstitute.org/projects/carbon-impacts-cltWorld GBC Advancing Net Zero Status Report 2020 - https://www.worldgbc.org/advancing-net-zero-status-report-2020Sierra Club: forests, wood, and climate- https://contentdev.sierraclub.org/sites/www.sierraclub.org/files/program/documents/Forests,%20Wood%20&%20Climate%20Report_Sierra%20Club_July%202019.pdfBiogenic carbon in buildings: a critical overview of LCA methods - https://journal-buildingscities.org/articles/10.5334/bc.46/Embodied carbon policy framework - https://carbonneutralcities.org/embodied-carbon-policy-framework/Carbon smart materials palette - https://materialspalette.org/WWF dynamic LCA biogenic carbon excel tool - https://www.worldwildlife.org/projects/biogenic-carbon-footprint-calculator-for-harvested-wood-productsEmbodied carbon in construction calculator (EC3 – EPD database) - https://buildingtransparency.org/
Cheers,Martin Martin Torres | Green Building, CES | Austin Energy