For years, much of the architecture, engineering, and construction community has been focused on reducing operational carbon. More recently, the detrimental effects of embodied carbon emissions on the environment have become pronounced, and nations, organizations, and individuals are turning their attention to the ways in which embodied carbon can be reduced or eliminated.

This course analyzes concrete’s role in achieving net zero carbon emissions by assessing material innovation, the impact of prescriptive and performance specifications on the environment, and the use of whole building life cycle assessments to reduce the carbon footprint of buildings.


Learning Objectives

  • Evaluate commitments to net zero, such as Race to Zero, SE 2050, and Architecture 2030, and understand key terms related to carbon emissions.
  • Assess concrete’s pathways to net zero, including its ability to sequester carbon, as well as material innovation such as blended cements, supplementary cementitious materials, and carbon sequestration.
  • Analyze the impact of prescriptive and performance specifications on concrete, and gain ideas on how to specify sustainable concrete.
  • Use whole-building life cycle assessment to measure and reduce the carbon footprint of buildings.

Pre-Requisite: None.