Embodied Carbon Policies and Resources

Name/Title of Resource	Topic	Link	Organization	Notes
2016 Basics for the Assessment of Embodied Energy and Embodied GHG Emissions for Building Construction: Guideline for Designers and Consultants – Part 1	Guideline for Designers and Consultants	Link	IEA (internation Energy Agency)	"In the area of sustainability assessment a transition from predominantly qualitative to predominantly quantitative methods is present. In addition, methods of life cycle assessment are increasingly used to describe, evaluate and influence in a targeted manner the use of resources and the adverse effects on the environment. These methods are no longer used only at the end of the design process but also during the early design stages to assist in the evaluation, optimization and comparison of different design alternatives. The embodied impacts are important and indispensable aspects of this process." "The quantification of embodied impacts, however, is a task that can be easily integrated into the design process and combined with traditional design tasks. Doing so is not as complicated as it may seem. In practice, the design professional or consultant is not required to perform an LCA for a complete building manually, but to apply the results of LCAs for construction products and building services from other sources, e.g. available in databases. Namely, it is sufficient for a designer to quantify the building products and materials to be used for the building (this is a common design task) and to link the determined material quantities with values from databases or to use tools with integrated databases. This provides information on embodied impacts that need to be interpreted and can serve as a basis for the improvement/ development of building designs. At the same time, the processing of such questions contributes to the competitiveness of the design professionals and consultants and becomes a source of additional revenue." part-2 has many case study data that is helpful
2016 Basics for the Assessment of Embodied Energy and Embodied GHG Emissions for Building Construction: Guideline for Designers and Consultants – Part 2	Guideline for Designers and Consultants	Link	IEA (internation Energy Agency)	"In the area of sustainability assessment a transition from predominantly qualitative to predominantly quantitative methods is present. In addition, methods of life cycle assessment are increasingly used to describe, evaluate and influence in a targeted manner the use of resources and the adverse effects on the environment. These methods are no longer used only at the end of the design process but also during the early design stages to assist in the evaluation, optimization and comparison of different design alternatives. The embodied impacts are important and indispensable aspects of this process." "The quantification of embodied impacts, however, is a task that can be easily integrated into the design process and combined with traditional design tasks. Doing so is not as complicated as it may seem. In practice, the design professional or consultant is not required to perform an LCA for a complete building manually, but to apply the results of LCAs for construction products and building services from other sources, e.g. available in databases. Namely, it is sufficient for a designer to quantify the building products and materials to be used for the building (this is a common design task) and to link the determined material quantities with values from databases or to use tools with integrated databases. This provides information on embodied impacts that need to be interpreted and can serve as a basis for the improvement/ development of building designs. At the same time, the processing of such questions contributes to the competitiveness of the design professionals and consultants and becomes a source of additional revenue." part-2 has many case study data that is helpful
The Magic of End-of-life Refrigerant Management Better Disposal of HFC Refrigerants Would Greatly Reduce GHG Emissions	Refrigerants	Link	EESI(envirnmental and energy stufy institute)	Overview of current regulation and importance of low embodied/potentail carbon refrigerants
The Kigali Amendment to the montreal protocol: HFC phase-down factsheet	Refrigerants	Link	UNEP	A quick overview of the Kigali Amendment to the Montreal protocol.
City Policy Framework for Dramatically Reducing Embodied Carbon	Policy	Link	Carbon Neutral Cities Alliance, Architecture 2030, Bionova	This framework provides guidance for cities considering policies that can deliver the highest impact within their geopolitical contexts and regulatory systems. Over 50 existing policies from leading cities have been evaluated, categorized, and scored according to their potential, cost efficiency, ease of implementation, and enforceability.
Climate Emergy Task Group End of Year Report	Policy	Link	Institution of Structural Engineers	The report presents an overview of the group’s work in 2020. It also sets out their ambitions for 2021.
Embodied Carbon: The Blindspot of the Buildings Industry	Introduction	Link	Canadian Architects	An article making the case for reducing embodied carbon.
Commitment to Net Zero	Design	Link	Structural Engineering Institute
Vancouver Climate Emergency Action Plan (appendix K)	Policy	Link	City of Vancouver	Vancouver is already requiring LCA for rezoning projects and requiring disclosure but no requirement initially. Now requiring reductions. Rezoning is about half of Van new construction. What is rezoning eventually becomes code.
10 steps to reduce embodied carbon	Design, Policy	Link	AIA	The mission of the SE 2050 Commitment is to support the SE 2050 Challenge and transform the practice of structural engineering in a way that is holistic, firm-wide, project based, and data-driven.
Inventory of Carbon and Energy	Database	Link	Irish Green Building Council	You can down load the Inventory of Energy and Carbon at this location. The Inventory of Carbon and Energy (also know as the ICE database) is a free database for building materials.
Impact Estimator for Buildings	Calculator	Link	Athena Sustainable Materials Institute	n North America, the Athena Impact Estimator for Buildings is the only free software tool that is designed to evaluate whole buildings and assemblies based on internationally recognized life cycle assessment (LCA) methodology.
Tally	Calculator	Link	KT Innovations	Tally® is an Autodesk® Revit® application that allows architects and engineers to quantify the environmental impact of building materials for whole building analysis as well as comparative analyses of design options.
Building Life Cycle Assessment	Calculator	Link	One Click LCA	Software that integrates with BIM and BEM to perform Life Cycle Assessment
Low-Carbon Concrete Code Standards	Policy	Link	County of Marin	The County of Marin has developed practical requirements for the composition of concrete that maintains adequate strength and durability for the intended application and at the same time reduces greenhouse gas emissions. This code includes pathways for compliance with either reduced cement levels or lower-emission supplementary cementitious materials
LEED V4 Certification Program	Design	Link	USGBC	LEED certification provides independent verification of a building or neighborhood's green features, allowing for the design, construction, operations and maintenance of resource-efficient, high-performing, healthy, cost-effective buildings.
Living Building Challenge Certification Program	Design	Link	International Livng Future Institute	The Living Building Challenge is a green building certification program and sustainable design framework that visualizes the ideal for the built environment.