Sustainability Leaders to Discuss Carbon Emission Reductions from Buildings

BOSTON — The Massachusetts Climate Action Network, Boston Society of Architects, and Carbon Leadership Forum Boston/Northeast Hub will co-host a virtual press briefing on why Massachusetts must reduce embodied carbon emissions from buildings on Tuesday, March 14 from 10 to 11 a.m. Buildings already are one of Massachusetts’ highest-emitting sectors, representing 27% of statewide emissions. Globally, more than 25% of the emissions from buildings come from building materials and the construction of buildings themselves.

The event organizers will be joined by Boston University Sustainability representatives and representatives from RMI’s Carbon-Free Buildings team to discuss what embodied carbon is and how other states are addressing embodied carbon. While Massachusetts leaders have made progress to reduce on-site emissions from buildings, the panel will discuss what steps local and state governments in Massachusetts can take to catch up to other states and decarbonize essential building materials such as steel and concrete while encouraging the use of low-carbon materials such as timber.

The panel will be available to answer questions around the embodied carbon from buildings, progress other states have made on reducing embodied carbon from buildings, and notable local building projects such as 11 East Lennox and the Boston University Center for Computing & Data Sciences that have demonstrated the feasibility and cost-competitiveness of sourcing low-carbon building materials. Advocates will also discuss how Massachusetts leaders can lead by example to accelerate the use of low-carbon materials in buildings and incorporate embodied carbon into Massachusetts climate policy.

Participants will include Logan Malik, interim executive director of Massachusetts Climate Action Network; Michelle Lambert from Lambert Sustainability; Andrea Love, president of the Boston Society of Architects; Rebecca Esau, manager at Carbon-Free Buildings, RMI; and Dennis Carlberg, associate vice president of Sustainability at Boston University

To register, click here or email Miranda D’Oleo at miranda@massclimateaction.net.