BSA and CLF Introduce Low-Carbon Concrete Report With Game-like Format To Accelerate Adoption and Reduce Emissions

BOSTON, April 22, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — Concrete is a significant source of carbon emissions. Experts estimate that concrete is responsible for 8% of ALL global carbon emissions and, according to the International Energy Agency, emissions from cement alone must fall by an average of 4% per year through 2030 to limit global temperature rise to 1.5º C. Massachusetts’ own goal to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by at least 85% by 2050, will rely heavily on decarbonizing concrete. Low-carbon concrete options have been around for decades, so why hasn’t more progress been made?

To arrive at a solution, the Boston Society for Architecture (BSA) and the Boston/Northeast Hub of the Carbon Leadership Forum (CLF) engaged in a year-long stakeholder engagement process and have just released a FREE comprehensive report addressing the obstacles and opportunities inherent in decarbonizing concrete. The report concludes that the obstacles to this key climate initiative lie not in technology or engineering, but in the design and construction process. Through a fun, game-like format, the report provides guidance for tackling the challenges inherent in each step of the design-build process and provides solutions that are replicable and applicable in regions around the world. The FREE report is available for download here. The Low-Carbon Concrete Initiative report was funded by a grant from the Jampart Charitable Trust.

A diverse group of buildings in the Boston area have already begun using various low-carbon concrete solutions, including Boston University’s Center for Computing and Data Sciences – this year’s winner of the BSA’s Harleston Parker People’s Choice Award for the most beautiful building in Boston (as voted on by the public) – and Arlington High School in Arlington, Massachusetts.

To further understanding of how to reduce embodied carbon in the built environment, the Boston Society for Architecture and the Boston/Northeast Hub of the Carbon Leadership Forum will also be hosting the 2024 Northeast Embodied Carbon Summit in Boston this June 20th and 21st. The goal of the summit is to come together to learn from each other, provide resources to the broader Architecture, Engineering & Construction (AEC) community, and to advance the collective efforts of this group to help lower the impact of climate change. Find more information here.

About the Boston Society For Architecture (BSA)

The Boston Society for Architecture (BSA) is a non-profit membership organization focused on improving the quality of life for Boston-area residents by championing innovation in the built environment, with particular emphasis on sustainability and social equity. We achieve this by connecting our diverse and passionate network of over 4,500 architects, firms and allied members through collaborative initiatives that create solutions towards a more equitable and sustainable future. We extend and deepen these efforts philanthropically through our BSA Foundation, with donations and hands-on work in our community. The BSA is one of the oldest and largest chapters of the American Institute of Architects (AIA). For more information about the BSA and the BSA Foundation, visit architects.org.

About the Boston/Northeast Hub of the Carbon Leadership Forum (CLF)

The Boston/Northeast Regional Hub of the Carbon Leadership Forum (CLF) is a volunteer-led group working to bring people together towards reducing embodied carbon emissions in our community through supporting the goals and mission of CLF at the local scale. The Hub empowers local leaders to use CLF research and resources to drive action in the communities of Boston and the Northeast region. The Hub shares knowledge and identifies actions—immediate and long-term—for the AEC industry to address issues of embodied carbon in the built environment.

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SOURCE Boston Society for Architecture