OVERVIEW

Deepening concerns around carbon emissions have inspired new carbon-based metrics expanding the discussion around energy to include embodied energy and the carbon footprint of the building products and materials we use, outside of ongoing efforts to reduce the energy consumption of the buildings themselves. Progressive practitioners have their eyes on what they are calling carbon-zero homes as the next level beyond net-zero energy. But the tools and abilities to measure and report on a carbon metric for most products and projects need further development before this metric can be universally applied. This area of study will focus on carbon as the next performance metric for the building industry, its importance in terms of environmental issues, and the path our industry will follow to achieve carbon-zero performance.

 

Viewpoints

 

Next-Gen Cogeneration

Advancements in micro combined heat and power move the needle toward energy independence.

Waste Heat Revolution?

Until we can wean ourselves of coal-fired electricity, at least maybe the plants that produce it can aid in that effort.

 

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Section Chair

Energy and Carbon

Edward Mazria, Founder, Architecture 2030

Edward Mazria is an internationally recognized architect, energy expert, educator and author with a distinguished career spanning 45 years. As the Founder of Architecture 2030, he reshaped the international dialogue on energy and climate change by issuing the 2030 Challenge for the building sector, with its widely adopted performance timeline. Mr. Mazria received the 2009 Hanley Award for Vision and Leadership in Sustainable Housing

 
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Section Chair

Energy and Carbon

Francesca Desmarais, Principal Researcher, Architecture 2030

Francesca Desmarais is the director of the 2030 Challenge for Products, an international effort to measure and reduce the carbon footprint of building products in concert with the goals of the 2030 Challenge. Ms. Desmarais manages the development of the technical and strategic aspects of this new initiative.

 
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ABOUT ARCHITECTURE 2030
Architecture 2030 is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit research organization working to transform the U.S. and global Building Sector from the major contributor of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions to a central part of the solution to the climate change and energy crises. Since issuing the 2030 Challenge in 2006, the organization has collaborated with numerous Building Sector leaders and pursued two primary objectives: a dramatic reduction in global fossil fuel consumption and GHG emissions of the Building Sector by changing the way buildings, communities, and cities are planned, designed, and constructed and; and regional development of an adaptive, highly resilient Building Sector that can successfully manage the impacts of climate change and access, low-cost, renewable, on-site energy resources to minimize fossil fuel dependence.
 
 
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