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  • Embodied Carbon 101: Procurement

Embodied Carbon 101: Procurement

2020-BSA07
Included in subscription Included in subscription
1.00 LU|HSW
4.27
Course expires on: 11/15/2026
$30
Architect$30

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$45

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Description

This course focuses on the role that contractors and builders can play in reducing the embodied carbon in their work. Speakers discuss opportunities for carbon reduction at multiple project stages, highlighting the importance of a collaborative design and project team (including client) for diverse construction practice types—including small design/build, mid-size local firm, and large international firm. They suggest strategies for incorporating embodied carbon reduction into everyday workflow—from the discrete (e.g. contracts) to the broad (workplace culture and commitments). Procurement is essential to the reduction of embodied carbon—ensuring what is specified for reduced carbon makes it into the project, among other things.

Course expires 11/14/2026

Learning Objectives

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Identify opportunities for integrating embodied carbon considerations into traditional procurement processes through specification, preconstruction communications, and contracts.

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Implement strategies for reducing embodied carbon in less traditional processes, including integrated design process (IDP), through holistic building performance, life cycle assessment, and end-of-life impacts.

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Explain the relationship between operational energy and embodied carbon, and the importance of designing and building for the reduction of both in sustainable projects.

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Appraise available building materials for their embodied carbon impact.

Instructors
Lisa Carey-Moore

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.

Brian Hayes

Brian a designer, builder, timber framer and woodworker with over 20 years’ experience in building and design. Before moving to Vermont, Brian operated Lakeshore Building Company in the Central New York lakes region, with focuses on historical restorations and timber framing.

Founding BWC in 2012, the company continues to evolve, offering a range of consultation design and construction services. Brian is guided by a reverence for the natural environment endeavoring to have a positive impact on conventional building practices toward goals of sustainably constructed high performance structures, net-positive atmospheric carbon reduction, occupant health, and social justice. BWC contributes to the forward progression and use of plant-based building systems, local resources as a viable and affordable method of construction, as well as standing in support of environmental and social reform.

Brian is a PHI Passive House Consultant, PHUIS Passive House Designer/ Consultant, BPI Building Analyst, Efficiency Vermont High Performance Partner, Board Member of Vermont Passive House, NESEA Triple Bottom Line Member/Company and a supporting member of the Timber Framers Guild.

Michael Orbank

Michael Orbank is a rising construction sustainability advocate currently working at Commodore Builders as the company sustainability lead. In his time at Commodore, Michael has founded the Carbon Committee, a collaboration of employees looking to improve the carbon footprint and make significant changes to Commodore policies. Office composting, subcontract changes, and a new construction waste diversion program are just the starting initiatives that this committee has begun to put into motion.

Stacy Smedley

Stacy has a Bachelor of Arts in Architecture from the University of Washington, and 15 years in the architecture and construction professions. At Skanska, Stacy leads sustainable initiatives and opportunities and is considered a subject matter expert in LEED and Living Building Challenge certifications, with a passion for reducing materials toxicity and carbon emissions associated with construction. She is the co-creator of the Embodied Carbon in Construction Calculator (EC3), an industry-wide, open-source tool for quantifying and reducing the carbon of building materials.