The Building Science Podcast

← The Building Science Podcast18 jun · 1 u 02 min

Demystifying Decarbonization: Data Driven Design

Demystifying Decarbonization: Data Driven Design18 jun1 u 02 min

In this episode, Kristof sits down with sustainability expert Josh Jacobs to demystify the ins and outs of Life Cycle Assessments (LCAs), Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs), Product Category Rules (PCRs) and ISO Standards that are causing a decarbonization to happen around the world.

Translating the complex data of an LCA into a standardized format, EPDs function as 'nutrition labels' for building materials, helping designers and specifiers count the 'carbon calories' of everything from steel girders to heat pumps. Josh and Kristof explore the critical shift from focusing exclusively upon operational carbon to including embodied carbon in the carbon reduction conversation, break down the cradle-to-grave phases of building materials, and offer actionable insights on using better data to make truly sustainable design decisions.