Embodied Carbon 101: Interiors
Description
This course focuses on the impact of interior product selection on embodied carbon work with an overview of some specific product types that are typical to the interior scope. It includes an introduction to resources for interior product information—including embodied carbon impacts as well as materials health. The course also looks at strategies for lower-carbon interiors, including salvage and reuse, research, and goal-setting.
Course expires 11/14/2026
Learning Objectives
Explain how interior materials selections impact a project’s embodied carbon in addition to occupant health.
Employ essential tools for assessing embodied carbon and other important factors such as material health when selecting materials.
Summarize the relationship between the complementary goals of reducing embodied carbon and diverting construction and demolition (C&D) waste through material reuse.
Implement strategies to catalyze change through design and material selection, including goal-setting by project and within firms, and advocating to manufacturers for low-carbon or zero-carbon materials.
![Lisa Carey-Moore Lisa Carey-Moore](https://aiau.aia.org/pluginfile.php/1/local_instructors/image/786/786.png)
Lisa has extensive experience helping clients achieve healthier materials goals, primarily through the lens of LBC’s “Red List.” The work requires close collaboration with the A/E design team, manufacturers, specifiers, and contractors to develop processes for incorporating healthier materials, and more importantly, ensuring they’re installed in the final project. These strategies can be employed to achieve better outcomes for embodied carbon. She’s strongly committed to ensuring that in meeting our carbon objectives, we’re not compromising the health of building occupants or the community at large. Lisa is Senior Sustainability Analyst at Integrated Eco Strategy.
![Andrew Ellsworth Andrew Ellsworth](https://aiau.aia.org/pluginfile.php/1/local_instructors/image/787/787.jpg)
Andrew is Founder & CEO of Doors Unhinged, the first US company to exclusively sell reclaimed commercial doors systems. Since launching Doors Unhinged in 2018, Mr. Ellsworth has delivered high-quality products to a wide array of commercial clients, outfitting numerous renovations and new building projects across Western Pennsylvania with reclaimed materials. His pioneering work proves that there is, in fact, a market for construction material reuse at a larger, commercial scale.
Mr. Ellsworth is committed to circular economy, community investment and zero waste principles, presenting his vision and approach to carbon reduction in the construction industry at national conferences; most recently at Carbon Positive ‘20 and Decon & Reuse Conference. As a result of his success with Doors Unhinged, he hopes to inspire a larger movement, spurring more businesses to enter the commercial building material reuse ecosystem.
Prior to starting Doors Unhinged, Mr. Ellsworth worked in sustainable enterprise development, LEED consulting, and healthy high-performing schools. He served for six years on the board of Construction Junction, a local material reuse nonprofit, and volunteers regularly as an environmental health advocate and kids’ soccer coach. Andrew has a Bachelor of Architecture from Carnegie Mellon University. He lives in Pittsburgh with his wife and two children.
![Josh Jacobs Josh Jacobs](https://aiau.aia.org/pluginfile.php/1/local_instructors/image/788/788.jpg)
Josh Jacobs is responsible for standard and outside code participation and authority having jurisdiction engagement for UL Environment & Sustainability. In this role he helps develop and track the environmental and public health programs/codes/purchasing programs that are being utilized and developed throughout the world. As a LEED AP+ BD&C, he has been able to assist architects, designers, specifiers, and builders understand how to utilize products to build a more sustainable project.
Josh has served on over 20 sustainable committees, including but not limited to USGBC’s Pilot Credit Committee and LEED Steering Committee, ASHRAE 189.1, 2012/2015/2018 NAHB National Green Building Standard, ANSI/BIFMA E3 joint committee, Fitwel Advisory Council, and he served on the original water and IEQ work group that developed the first public draft of the International Green Construction Code (IgCC).
He is also a recurring guest lecturer at multiple universities and has spoken on sustainable building practices and purchasing policies at many conferences and continuing education events on five continents. Josh also served as Chairman of the US Technical Advisory Group for ISO 20400 Sustainable Procurement, Chairman of the 2015 NAHB Material & IEQ Working Group, Vice Chair of Green Globes Material Task Group, and Chair for USGBC’s Pilot Credit Committee. He is currently the Vice Chair for ASHRAE 189.1 committee and the incoming 2021 LEED Steering Committee Chairman.
In his role Josh has helped numerous AHJs develop and implement sustainable purchasing policies and requirements, including but not limited to: the US General Service Administration, the US Military through the UFGS, the State of California, the city of New York, the Building Construction Authority of Singapore, and numerous universities and private businesses. Josh has also helped develop influential materials, human health, product emissions, and indoor air quality criteria in numerous global codes and rating systems, including but not limited to LEED v4 and v4.1, Fitwel, Green Globes, CALGreen, IgCC, ASHRAE 189.1, and BREEAM.
![Candon Michelle Murphy Candon Michelle Murphy](https://aiau.aia.org/pluginfile.php/1/local_instructors/image/789/789.jpg)
Candon is a materials specialist experienced in product research, specifications, and sourcing in commercial design with an emphasis on Retail and Hospitality Design.
She is passionate about sustainability and ethical sourcing as well as volunteering in the local design community. Candon is an Associate at MG2.