The Charles Pankow Foundation has released the final report for Code Updates for Reduction of Embodied Carbon (CURE) Phase 1, a collaborative research initiative examining how updates to building standards can help reduce embodied carbon in structural systems.
Led by Principal Investigators Abbie Liel, PE, of the University of Colorado Boulder and Ian McFarlane, PE, SE, of Magnusson Klemencic Associates, the report identifies 11 priority code changes for consideration in ASCE 7, ACI 318, and AISC 360. The recommendations aim to reduce embodied carbon through more efficient material use, lower-carbon material options, or both, with some proposed changes showing potential reductions of up to 12%.
SEI and the American Concrete Institute will also share findings from the report during the Construction Materials Carbon Progress Summit, December 2-3 in Arlington, Virginia, as part of a session highlighting architect and engineer perspectives on reducing embodied carbon in construction.
The project was supported by a coalition of industry organizations, including ASCE, ACI, AISC, NCSEA, ClimateWorks, and the Magnusson Klemencic Associates Foundation. The final report is available through the Charles Pankow Foundation.
