Past CLF Washington DC Events

A background video from the BC Embodied Carbon Awards 2024 held on Apr 18, 2024 in Vancouver BC.

This CLF BC webinar features Discover Montessori, the Large Buildings category winner at the 2023 BC Embodied Carbon Awards. You can learn more about this award-winning project that used embodied carbon as a key decision-making tool for building design. Jeremy Field and Sharon McGeorge from Introba, and Ben Checkwitch from Checkwitch Poiron Architects outline how they were able to avoid significant amounts of embodied carbon emissions and give recommendations for future projects. They also discuss how to balance embodied carbon with various other considerations such as affordability, energy efficiency, and more. Slide Resources: https://clfbritishcolumbia.com/discover-montessori-hear-how-we-became-a-2023-bc-embodied-carbon-awards-winner/ Speakers: Jeremy Field - Senior Sustainability Advisor, Introba Passionate and thoughtful, Jeremy specializes in finding alignment between a project's goals and available solutions. With a background in energy modelling, Jeremy has led many building life cycle assessments (LCA) to identify cost-effective embodied carbon reduction opportunities. He works to advance embodied carbon analysis beyond structural and enclosure systems, having led the analysis of the impacts of refrigerants, mechanical and electrical systems, product finishes, and more. Jeremy is an advocate for resilient, low-carbon buildings that marry the ideas of passive design and fundamental sustainability and stays at the forefront of policy conversations on embodied carbon through his involvement in CaGBC’s Embodied Carbon Technical Advisory Group. Jeremy advised on the embodied carbon requirements for Version 3 of the CaGBC’s Zero Carbon Standard and is past Co-Chair of CLF Vancouver (now CLF BC). Sharon McGeorge - Senior Mechanical and BIM Designer, Introba Sharon has been with Introba since 2015 and brings unique hands-on experience to the mechanical engineer team. She has an excellent track record of navigating complicated renovation projects through the design and construction administration process. Sharon has developed her BIM and 3D modelling skills to become an exceptional resource for our team (and those who work with us) bringing diligent design coordination and excellent presentation of building systems to our drawings. Sharon’s interests in energy efficiency, healthy spaces, usability, and affordability inform her design values and make her an invaluable member of Introba’s mechanical team. Sharon also leads a team in the design of rainwater, and well water treatment for potable water systems serving homes and small commercial sites. Ben Checkwitch - Principal, Checkwitch Poiron Architects Ben’s fascination with architecture began while working on construction sites and as a draftsman for a naval architect, which led him to pursue degrees in Architecture from the University of Manitoba and Dalhousie University. He then further honed his construction skills while building an off-grid home on an isolated Gulf Island before completing his apprenticeship at the Oslo-based firm of Narud Stokke Wiig. Ben then relocated to New York to practice with renowned architectural firms Rafael Viñoly Architects and Gluckman Mayner Architects before founding Ben Checkwitch Design, a Manhattan-based design firm that earned distinction in I.D. Magazine’s Annual Design Review and recognition from the Architectural League of New York, where he has lectured and exhibited as a winner of the Young Architects Forum. In 2008 he began collaborating with David Poiron on various projects which led to the formation of Checkwitch Poiron Architects in 2012. Since then, Ben has led the firm through many projects including single-family homes, masterplans and terminal building designs for multiple BC Ferry terminals, an Indigenous artist’s studio, multi-family and mixed-use projects of various scales, the development and implementation of a volumetric modular building system, and a low-carbon Montessori school.

0:00:00 - CLF BC Intro (Roberto) 0:08:33 - Context (Zahra) 0:15:59 - Embodied Carbon Guidelines Overview (Zahra) 0:31:50 - Q&A Part 1 0:37:52 - Baseline Definition, Modelling Assumptions, Data Collection (Anthony) 1:05:48 - Next Steps (Zahra) 1:11:15 - Key Developments Beyond the City of Vancouver (Anthony) 1:14:23 - Q&A Part 2 Slide Resources: https://clfbritishcolumbia.com/the-city-of-vancouvers-embodied-carbon-guidelines/ As of Oct 1, 2023, the City of Vancouver’s Building Bylaws include an embodied carbon requirement for large (Part 3) buildings. To comply with the requirement, two pathways are possible: the absolute and baseline paths. If choosing the absolute path, the project cannot exceed 800 kg CO2e/m2 (double the benchmark intensity of 400 kgCO2e/m2). If pursuing a baseline path, projects can define a project-specific, functionally equivalent baseline to measure against, and cannot be more than double the baseline. In this webinar, the City of Vancouver and Priopta will present the new VBBL requirement, as well as the guidance provided in the new Vancouver Embodied Carbon Guidelines. The Guidelines cover compliance paths, mandatory and optional element scopes, quantifying embodied carbon, creating a baseline and documentation and reporting requirements. Speakers: Anthony Pak, Principal at Priopta and CLF Global Hub Director Anthony is the Principal at Priopta, a firm with deep expertise in Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) for buildings. Priopta supports design teams in reducing embodied carbon on construction projects and works with leading organizations and jurisdictions to develop effective embodied carbon policies. Anthony is also the founder of CLF Vancouver—the first local hub of the Carbon Leadership Forum—which organizes local events that empower industry professionals to radically reduce embodied carbon from buildings and infrastructure. Since 2019, CLF Vancouver has inspired over 30 other cities to start CLF local hubs. He now also serves as the CLF Global Hub Director, working to support the growth and impact of CLF hubs around the world. Zahra Teshnizi, Senior Embodied Carbon Planner Zahra is a Senior Green Building Planner at the City of Vancouver, where she leads the development and implementation of the City's embodied carbon policies and initiatives. With over a decade of experience in sustainable and zero-carbon development, Zahra is highly knowledgeable in embodied carbon design, policy, and life cycle assessment (LCA). In 2017, Zahra led the creation of Vancouver's embodied carbon requirements under the Green Building Policy for Rezoning, which was the first of its kind in North America. Additionally, she developed a conceptual roadmap for future steps based on the early submissions' analysis. Prior to rejoining the City of Vancouver in 2023, Zahra worked as a Senior Advisor at Mantle Developments. During this time, she collaborated with various stakeholders, including developers, governments, and financial institutions, to assess, disclose, and reduce carbon emissions at the building scale. She also played a key role in developing zero-carbon strategies and plans at a portfolio scale.

Join Jacob Racusin of New Frameworks and Chris Magwood of Builders for Climate Action for a critical look at our practices that have endeavoured to embed justice and belonging alongside the highest goals for building health, efficiency, and carbon storage in projects – for the purpose of workshopping how our industry can scale carbon storage and justice, rapidly, to address climate justice. From organizational structure to project development to design details, we will provide an honest look at our development so as to ask and answer the question with our colleagues – what can we learn from our mistakes and successes, our limitations and opportunities? How do we scale this work to meet the demands of climate crisis and human justice, quickly and creatively? In this presentation, Jacob and Chris will show us how to: Translate theoretical goals into improved, scalable practice Evaluate how organizations can incorporate their values into building projects and products Identify strategies used by the presenters that have resonance and applicability to participants’ own practices Identify how lessons learned can be useful to the industry facing a need to rapidly scale just climate responses

Concrete is typically the largest contributor to a building’s Embodied Carbon. Until recently, the building industry has focused on Operational Carbon reduction. However, to effectively reduce carbon emissions associated with buildings it is necessary to reduce both Embodied Carbon and Operational Carbon. A Pragmatic Approach to Lowering Embodied Carbon Guideline has been developed through the experience gained in the Lower Mainland of British Columbia, Canada by co-authors ZGF Architects, Fast+Epp, EllisDon, and Lafarge. Designed as an interactive document, this guide offers pragmatic options at key project decision points to support stakeholders and consultants in the development of efficient and cost-effective low-embodied carbon concrete solutions. This was a collaborative event with ZGF, Fast+Epp, EllisDon, and Lafarge, with online and in-person attendance. Read the Guideline here: https://clfbritishcolumbia.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/Pragmatic-Approach-to-Lowering-Embodied-Carbon.pdf

The reuse of buildings has the potential to unlock significant savings in the upfront emissions associated with construction. How can we make the case for this work, and by going down this route, what sort of savings can we unlock?  In this presentation, we’ll hear two case studies of success, as well as the carbon savings associated with this work. Speakers: Elisabeth Baudinaud, Principal, Carbon Wise Zahra Teshnizi, Senior Embodied Carbon Planner, City of Vancouver Javaria Ahmad​, Climate-Smart Buildings Advisor​, Mantle

Embodied emissions overwhelmingly come from manufacturers' supply chains. Join trailblazing flooring manufacturer Interface, to understand how you can play an important role in holding manufacturers accountable for these emissions and transforming building material supply chains until they become a solution that helps us reverse global warming. Speakers: Mikhail Davis, Director of Technical Sustainability, Interface Mikhail is the Director of Technical Sustainability at the global flooring manufacturer Interface. Interface's mission, Climate Take Back™, invites industry to commit to making a profit in a way that is restorative to the planet and creates a climate fit for life.  Mikhail is responsible for building internal leadership capacity and creating external partnerships in sustainability.  He has a degree in Earth Systems from Stanford University and is a Certified Biomimicry Specialist. Andrea Roxas, Account Executive, Interface Andrea Roxas has over 20 years of experience in Sales Consulting and Project Management. With service at her core and the client first; Andrea has successfully led high profile and large-scale projects throughout her career in Interior Furnishings. Prior to joining Interface in 2014, she spent 12 years in various roles in the Commercial Furniture Industry both on the Manufacturing and Service side. This experience has given her a clear understanding of delivering projects on time and on budget without compromising aesthetics. Sustainability is what brought her to Interface and is an integral part of her client discussions. In her free time, she enjoys travelling, home cooking, golfing and exploring mountains on her snowboard with her husband.

Who would win in the sustainability Olympics? Team safer materials, or team low carbon products? What if, instead of competing, these two powerhouses worked together? In this webinar, attendees will hear from experts about the key drivers of material health and embodied carbon using flooring products and drywall products as case studies. Our presenters translate these drivers into actionable guidance for project teams to select low carbon, healthy products. Speakers:  Teresa McGrath, Chief Research Officer, Healthy Buildings Network Teresa leads HBN’s Research and Education strategies. With prior experience in government, NGO and industry, she brings a wealth of holistic knowledge and multi-sector experience to our team. Teresa led the Chemical Management Program for Sherwin-Williams, the largest paints and coatings company in the world, where she focused on hazards reduction and transparency, and assisted business units in meeting sustainability and green chemistry goals. She also spent nine years as the Senior Managing Toxicologist at NSF International’s Green Chemistry Programs, and two years at the Environmental Protection Agency in the Design for the Environment (DfE) Branch of the Office of Pollution Prevention and Toxics (OPPT).  Kimberly Seigel, Research Knowledge Manager, Perkins&Will Kimberly has spent over 15 years working on interdisciplinary teams tackling some of the built environment’s most pressing sustainability challenges, with a particular focus on climate change. As the Research Knowledge Manager for Perkins&Will’s Research Group, she draws upon her background in research and sustainability consulting to help bridge the gap between various practices and the innovative research happening across the firm. She also is Co-Director of the Material Performance Lab, with a focus on embodied carbon reduction efforts. Due to her global experience facilitating carbon reporting and contributing to sustainability projects located throughout the US, UK, Australia, the Middle East, Brazil and Chile, Kimberly has a holistic understanding of sustainability affecting all operations.