Data-Driven Design—Lowering Embodied Carbon

September 29, 2021

Ante Vulin, LEED AP BD+C, Tetra Tech High Performance Buildings Group senior sustainability strategist, discusses strategies for lowering the embodied carbon of our building projects as part of our Data-Driven Design series.

Buildings are responsible for nearly 40 percent of annual global CO2 emissions. While we focus largely on reducing operational carbon emissions, the building materials and construction process, otherwise known as embodied carbon, are responsible for a significant portion of that yearly output. With the global stock expected to double by 2060, reducing embodied carbon through materials reduction, reuse, and carbon sequestration, is key to achieving a zero net carbon future.

By first defining embodied carbon and providing context to the true scale of its emissions, then providing actionable methods for reducing it on our projects today, Ante constructs a roadmap toward achieving the carbon drawdown necessary for combatting the worst impacts of climate change.

Kameron Beeks

Kameron Beeks, LEED AP BD+C, WELL AP, DBIA

Kameron is a mechanical engineer with experience working on multiple projects that have achieved or pursued LEED, WELL, Living Building Challenge, and Collaborative for High Performance Schools certification. Kameron has designed unique sustainable systems, such as vacuum plumbing technologies, active chilled beams, radiant systems, measurement and verification reporting strategies, and dashboarding. He also writes the software for several of Tetra Tech’s internal design calculation programs.

Ante Vulin

Ante Vulin, LEED AP BD+C, LEED AP ID+C,

Ante is an experienced sustainability consultant and energy analyst focused on helping new and existing buildings reach their full potential. He specializes in the intersection of building energy and indoor environmental quality, making sure that buildings can be both efficient and healthy for their occupants. He has worked on more than 50 LEED projects across rating system versions, including new construction, operations and maintenance, core and shell, commercial interiors, and healthcare.

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