How to Meet the City of Vancouver’s Embodied Carbon Reduction Requirements (T33)

Location: Level 200 (Room 220)

• Architecture
• Construction
• Engineering
• Interior Design
• Property Management
• Sustainable, High Performance & Net Zero Buildings | Zero Waste | Energy Efficiency & Electrification

Theme: Decarbonization & Electrification

Starting July 1st, 2023, updates to the Vancouver Building By-law will come into effect, regulating embodied carbon in Canada for the first time. Scaling up to a 40% reduction by 2030, how will design teams work together to meet these ambitious targets? As the requirements for minimizing carbon emissions become increasingly stringent, how do design teams keep up? How can they minimize embodied carbon, without compromising design, safety, or the financial bottom line?

In this deep dive on embodied carbon, the panelists of embodied carbon leaders will share their wealth of experience working on project teams to reduce embodied carbon in the City of Vancouver. The presenters will explore and attendees will learn successes, challenges, and methods to meet the City’s embodied carbon targets.

Speakers

Caroline Butchart - Embodied Emissions Program Manager, Carbon Leadership Forum Vancouver

Caroline has over a decade of experience in the construction industry, working as a consulting structural engineer on major projects in both the UK and Canada. Initially starting out in the world of research, Caroline has maintained a strong interest in knowledge growth, especially with regard to improving the way that the construction industry impacts the planet. Whilst working as a structural engineer, Caroline focused on improving knowledge and awareness and creating tools for structural engineers to lower their carbon footprint. She has successfully driven initiatives on large-scale projects that generated significant carbon savings and has inspired others to do so as well. Caroline has a strong belief that open conversation and collaboration at this critical point, will lead to significant advancement of the construction industry.

Tom Place - Structural Engineer, Equilibrium

Tom is a structural engineer, with experience in the design of building structures across multiple markets, typologies, and construction materials. He started his career working for Arup, where he became a key part of their structural sustainability team, measuring and reporting on embodied carbon to educate and inform decisions on large scale construction projects. Tom has also led research for the IStructE into the embodied carbon impacts of Mass Timber and now works for Equilibrium Consulting in Vancouver, focusing on the wider adoption of timber and the design of low carbon structures across North America.

Amy Brander - Sustainable Building Advisor, Perkins&Will

Amy has a strong passion for the natural world and would describe herself as a climate activist in her professional and personal life. Her work involves building resilient and sustainable structures that focus on user performance and protecting the environment we all depend on. Amy works for Perkins&Will as a sustainable building advisor with a focus on embodied carbon. At Perkins&Will, she facilitates the process of holistic and sustainable design to meet the requirements of many building rating systems, policy framework, and exceeding construction best practices. She regularly performs life cycle assessments focused on reducing the embodied carbon associated with a building’s materials

Forest Borch - Building Energy and Carbon Analyst, reLoad Sustainable Design

Forest (P.Eng., WELL AP, LEED Green Assoc) grew up building straw-bale houses on the Canadian prairies. Driven to mitigate the worst impacts of climate change, Forest’s consulting work at reLoad Sustainable Design uses energy modelling and whole building LCA’s to improve energy efficiency and reduce carbon emissions in new, Part 3 buildings. Backed by his experience working on 100+ projects, Forest brings a wholistic approach to regenerative, cost-effective, and passive-first buildings. Forest is a member of the Carbon Leadership Forum (CLF) Vancouver hub where he helps to organize events that empower industry professionals to radically reduce embodied carbon in the built environment.

Iain MacFadyen - Principal, ZGF Architects

Iain MacFadyen brings over 18 years of building performance and sustainable consulting experience gained in UK and Canada. He is a certified Project Management Professional, Passive House Consultant, Fitwel Ambassador, and an experienced LEED practitioner. In his 12 years in Canada, Iain has developed numerous teams in the support of developing project sustainability requirements and delivering high performing projects over a range of different project types, including large-scale residential, mixed-use, commercial, civic, institutional, and Canadian P3 projects.

Jolene McLaughlin - Director, Corporate Sustainability, EllisDon

Jolene has spent more than 12 years driving sustainability initiatives across various segments of the built environment. As the Sustainability Director for EllisDon Corporation, she works to build partnerships across the industry that support carbon emissions reductions throughout the value chain, from the materials used, to onsite processes and operational energy of buildings.

Event details credit of the event website.