Embodied Carbon Analysis: Edith Green Wendell Wyatt (EGWW) Federal Office Building Adaptive Reuse

The adaptive reuse of existing buildings can meet the needs of a wide variety of clients while also significantly reducing global climate impacts. Multiple other benefits include preservation of buildings and places with historic or cultural significance, and reduced costs relative to new construction. This session delivers an adaptive reuse case study of the Edith Green Wendell Wyatt (EGWW) Federal Office Building in Portland, Oregon, focused on an embodied carbon analysis relative to a comparable new facility. A deep retrofit completed in 2013 transformed this 1970s concrete high-rise, resulting in dramatically improved performance and occupant experience through a new climate responsive facade, and well-integrated systems, including an all-new radiant heating and cooling system.

This deep-retrofit-focused session provides an interesting perspective on the impact building materials have on global climate as measured in embodied carbon. The primary focus is the climate impacts from global warming potential (GWP) analyzed through life cycle assessments (LCA) and measured CO2 equivalent, but other climate impacts (including health) are also noted. You will receive clarity on the distinction between embodied and operational carbon—and why both are important—and analysis methods and strategies to reduce embodied carbon in adaptive reuse and other architectural projects.

Hosted by the Historic Resources Committee (HRC), an AIA Knowledge Community.