The essentials
TOPIC
Embodied vs operational
Operational energy improves every year. Embodied carbon is spent on day one and never recovered. As operations get cleaner, embodied dominates.
TOPIC
Concrete and steel
Cement chemistry releases CO2 regardless of the fuel. Supplementary materials, alternative binders, and simply using less are the available levers.
TOPIC
Envelope first
Insulation, air-tightness, and glazing decide the mechanical load. Oversized HVAC compensating for a bad envelope is the most common expensive mistake.
DAY 1
Embodied spent
ENVELOPE
First lever
CEMENT
Process CO2
LESS
Best material
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Part of the Porritt Inc. energy library. Questions or corrections are welcome.
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