Built to Last: Maximising Efficiency and Minimising Embodied Carbon

Materials are the fundamental DNA of architecture; they define its visible identity, and as such, its true value for people and the planet. Different material choices profoundly affect the overall construction carbon footprint, the sustainability of the supply chain associated with the construction industry, the sense of place and belonging that our cities provide for their inhabitants, and the ethical practices associated with sourcing and manufacturing them. By carefully choosing best practices and sustainable materials rooted in a place’s culture and identity, we ensure our buildings contribute to society and improve our environmental impact.

Session Learnings:

• How material choices contribute to the carbon impact of the construction industry (material type, origin, weight, efficiency)
• How materiality has a story of the place to tell, and links to people’s spaces and their identities
• How can we design and engineer buildings for maximum efficiency, ensuring they’re used to benefit from their best properties (for example, in structural engineering), and in the right quantities, avoiding unnecessary carbon budgets

Post-Event Actions:

• More conscious, embodied carbon-informed procurement process for delegates responsible for making decisions on construction projects.
• By understanding how materials link to a place’s heritage, delegates will be able to select, propose and prioritise the regeneration and adaptive reuse projects in the city.
• Spearheading low-carbon and biogenic materials in innovative, demonstrative projects that pave the way for code changes and the introduction of new structural and architectural materials.