Lori Ferriss Examines Embodied Carbon in “The New Net Zero”

Goody Clancy associate Lori Ferriss, AIA, PE, LEED AP, is a leader in the reuse of existing buildings and a strong advocate for carbon accounting across a building’s full life cycle. Lori clearly sums up the challenge of redefining “net zero” to include embodied carbon in this article in ArchitectureBoston.

The article conveys the urgency of the challenge and the opportunity the A/E/C industry has to meet this goal. In 2030, embodied carbon will account for 74% of the emissions of all buildings constructed in the next 10 years. It is evident that energy consumption associated with operations is only part of the solution to our immediate carbon challenge. New buildings will not nullify the carbon it takes to build them in time to meet our goals. Our industry must address embodied carbon—by working with existing buildings, using better materials, building less, and redefining “net zero.”