Webinar

Cutting Carbon: Facades, Glazing, and Roofing (Series Part 2)

Cutting Carbon: Facades, Glazing, and Roofing (Series Part 2)

Designing building enclosures to achieve operational performance goals while also remaining constructible and maintainable, all within a client’s budget and schedule, is a challenge in itself—but the challenge does not end there. Our industry continues to expand with a growing focus on reducing embodied carbon and greenhouse gas emissions while increasing the recyclability and reusability of building materials as part of the design and construction process.

In the second session of our “Cutting Carbon” webinar series, we will explore the relationships between embodied carbon and operational carbon of common facade, glazing, and roofing systems. We will highlight the current industry challenges for measuring and reducing embodied carbon for building enclosure systems, as well as opportunities for future innovation. We will also compare the embodied carbon within common enclosure systems and explore how to balance the often-conflicting priorities of improving the operational performance of an enclosure while reducing the associated embodied carbon impact.

LEARNING OBJECTIVES

After attending this webinar, participants will be able to:

  • Understand how embodied carbon is currently reported for enclosure systems.
  • Recognize strategies to balance embodied carbon reduction with enclosure performance at different stages of the design and construction process.
  • Understand the various materials in facade, glazing, and roofing systems, and their relative impact on the overall embodied carbon of the enclosure.
  • Identify challenges, nuances, and limitations of the current embodied carbon reporting and calculation methods for enclosure systems and opportunities for advancement.

ABOUT THE SERIES

Cutting Carbon: Embodied Carbon Discussions for Sustainable Buildings 

As global temperatures increase, so do discussions about reducing the environmental impact of building projects. For decades, the industry has focused on lowering operational carbon in buildings by decreasing energy usage. More recently, we now recognize the importance of reducing the embodied carbon in our projects caused by extracting, fabricating, transporting, installing, maintaining, and disposing of building materials and raw material components. Complicating matters, balancing operational and embodied carbon at the same time can lead to conflicting priorities and challenging discussions about retrofitting existing buildings versus designing new and efficient ones.  

In this four-part webinar series, experts from Simpson Gumpertz & Heger will explore these topics from varying angles, including overall sustainability concerns, building enclosure system design, and structural material considerations.  

Join us for the rest of the series:

Participants will earn 1.0 AIA CES Learning Unit (LU/HSW) for attending the live webinar. Registration is free. Please note that space is limited – email events@sgh.com to join our waitlist if the session is closed when you register. 

About the Speaker

Anna Burhoe
Anna Burhoe | Senior Consulting Engineer

Anna Burhoe is experienced in design, investigation, rehabilitation, commissioning, and construction administration for historic and contemporary buildings. She has worked on structures from low-rise schools to high-rise construction, as well as residential homes and below-grade structures. She specializes in the design and construction administration of complex building enclosure systems, including above- and below-grade waterproofing; air, water, and vapor barriers; roofing; exterior cladding; and fenestration systems; with a focus on design efficiency, constructability, and performance. Anna is an active and contributing member to ASTM International E06.55.09 – Building Enclosure Commissioning. 

John  Jackson
John Jackson | Associate Principal

John Jackson applies his creative and technical skills to design and engineer innovative enclosure systems. With experience in diverse projects both domestically and abroad, he specializes in curtain walls, custom glazing systems, structural glass, and glass investigations. He has managed complex building enclosure design projects for governmental buildings, including the Australian Embassy in Washington, DC, and the U.S. Embassy in Moscow, Russia. Beyond his work in building enclosure design, John leads SGH’s Glass and Glazing Systems practice area. He is also an active member of ASTM International Subcommittee E06.52 – Glass Use in Buildings and frequently delivers lectures on building enclosure design.

Travis  St. Louis
Travis St. Louis | Associate Principal

Travis St. Louis designs, investigates, and rehabilitates building enclosures on residential, commercial, and institutional facilities. He serves as SGH’s Roofing and Waterproofing Practice Area leader, specializing in contemporary facade and window systems as well as roofing, green and amenity roofs, and below-grade waterproofing. Travis works with architects and design-build contractors during early project stages to balance performance, cost, and construction objectives. He combines his field and design experience with excellent communication skills to work with diverse project teams to execute projects from design development through substantial completion.