Embodied Carbon 101: Certifications + Commitments—A deeper dive
Included in subscription
Description
Take a closer look at how embodied carbon is incorporated—or will be incorporated—into sustainability programs for the industry and how carbon-thoughtful design is streamlined or incentivized through these programs. The course begins with a look at the established AIA 2030 Commitment, its success in addressing operational energy, and its next iteration, which will include embodied carbon. The AIA 2030 Commitment discussion is followed by an introduction to the SE 2050 Commitment, which is an embodied carbon-focused commitment born out of the Structural Engineering Institute, to be launched in November 2020.
After looking at example commitments, the course introduces the International Living Future Institute’s Zero Carbon Certification, a relatively new certification that looks holistically at operational energy and embodied carbon. And, following Zero Carbon, the Passive House certification is introduced, suggesting ways that practitioners can account for embodied carbon while pursuing this performance-focused certification. Through discussing four major industry sustainability programs, this course will help practitioners to distinguish where embodied carbon is built into certifications and commitments, and where embodied carbon considerations might need to be engineered into design and certification processes for holistic carbon reduction. AEC practitioners will receive the knowledge to evaluate and leverage certifications and commitments for the greatest impact.
Course expires 11/14/2026
Learning Objectives
Explain the frameworks of and implement commitments like AIA 2030 and SE 2050, and how they can be used by firms to account and advocate for carbon-thoughtful design with clients and collaborators.
Explain the purposes of and implement certifications like Zero Carbon and Passive House, and how they can advance carbon-thoughtful design (whether they are structured to or not).
Evaluate other sustainability certifications and commitments for their embodied carbon requirements, in order to determine if embodied carbon is integrated into the framework, or if it will need to deliberately be designed into a project additionally.
Propose the pursuit of relevant certifications to clients, collaborators, and colleagues by communicating their value in advancing embodied carbon reduction.
As a Sustainability Leader at HMFH, Suni has quickly established herself as an in-house resource and champion for the integration of social, environmental, and economically sustainable solutions to design challenges of all sizes. She advocates for equitable access to architecture and has enjoyed working on educational projects throughout her career.
Michael is an associate at LeMessurier, a structural engineering firm based in Boston, and serves as chair of the SEI (ASCE-Structural Engineering Institute) SE 2050 Committee, which is developing a national SE 2050 Commitment Program to promote net zero carbon structural systems by 2050 and provide quantitative tracking demonstrating progress to that goal.
Gwen Fuertes is co-chair of the AIA National 2030 Working Group, and is an Associate and building scientist at LMS Architects, San Francisco-based firm. She leads the firm’s efforts to achieve the AIA 2030 Commitment goals, and is the leader of the local SF-based “2030 huddle” that includes representatives from dozens of local firms. Gwen is a licensed architect, with a Bachelor of Arts from Brown University and a Masters in Architecture and Building Science from UC Berkeley. Gwen is passionate about mentorship and education, and holds lecturer positions in architecture, buildings and performance at both California College of the Arts and UC Berkeley College of Environmental Design. She is a member of the USGBC National LEED Technical Committee.
Haley supports the Zero Energy and Zero Carbon Certification programs at the International Living Future Institute. She provides technical guidance on how buildings can achieve net-positive carbon on a life cycle scale while maximizing their energy efficiency.
Haley recently completed her master’s thesis wherein she performed a whole-building life cycle assessment (LCA) of a Living Building to identify where high environmental impacts occur over the building’s life cycle. She brings this knowledge of both Living Buildings and LCA to ILFI in order to administer the Zero Energy and Zero Carbon Certifications through a technical lens while considering comprehensive life cycle impacts; this allows her to approach problems with a systems perspective. She has experience working for large energy companies and general contractors, and is elated to finally have made it to her dream career of working on green buildings.
A civil engineer by training, Haley received a Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering from Virginia Tech along with a Master of Civil Engineering from the University of Pittsburgh. She is a diehard Hokie fanatic (as they all are) and misses Blacksburg dearly, but is thrilled to be living in Seattle as she is much closer to her Southern California family. While not daydreaming about green buildings, Haley enjoys watching and playing soccer, catching up on her favorite shows, and enjoying the beautiful landscape of the PNW.
David is passionate about designing architecture that improves the lives of individuals and their communities. Prior to earning his Bachelor of Arts in Architecture at the University of New Mexico and a Master of Architecture with a Certificate in Ecological Architecture at the University of Pennsylvania, David designed and built off-grid and passive solar homes. With this background, David approaches architecture through the eyes of a designer, ecologist, craftsperson, and builder. David is a Certified Passive House Designer, the first elected President of the Greater Philadelphia Passive House Association, and Adjunct Assistant Professor at Temple University where he teaches energy modeling seminars. At Re:Vision, David provides architectural design and high-performance / Passive House consulting services.