![Rachel White Rachel White](https://aiau.aia.org/pluginfile.php/1/local_instructors/image/801/801.jpg)
CEO | Byggmeister
Rachel joined the company in 2009 after having hired Byggmeister to renovate her master suite. She started as a consultant helping to develop standards and goals for energy and water use, and indoor air quality and to track these over time. After she became an employee, her role evolved to include project management. In her current role Rachel splits her time between overseeing the company and shepherding projects through the planning process.
One of the things that Rachel feels distinguishes Byggmeister is the emphasis on performance. “During project planning we look for opportunities to improve comfort, efficiency, air quality. In other words, we plan to improve performance. Then, once the project is over, we measure how we did and apply the lessons learned to future projects. It’s a virtuous circle.”
Courses
Embodied Carbon 101: Making the Case
Addressing embodied carbon in one’s practice requires strategy, communication, and collaboration. This course addresses how AEC practitioners can speak with clients and collaborators about embodied carbon to demonstrate the value of reducing embodied carbon and to provide pathways to reduce its impacts in projects and the environment. Learners will hear from sustainability professionals whose practices represent traditional architectural firms, large engineering and consulting firms, and small design/build practices who share approaches to reducing embodied carbon in cooperation with clients, including: managing client choices by selecting and presenting low embodied carbon materials and designs; marketing and external communications; making the economic case for use of low embodied carbon materials and designs; drawing parallels between embodied carbon and materials and occupant health; and developing mutual goals and values with clients and project teams from the early stages of a project.
Course expires 11/14/2026