From the Design Principles & Practices 2021 Conference: Towards a (Design) New Deal
The role of design in transitional times is ever more fluid. In order to foster social responsibility and respond to the complex challenges ahead, we need to establish a large social contract that responds to the real and looming, rather than often fabricated, upcoming crisis. Green policies and transnational collaboration—bridging actions instead of isolating mentalities—are on the top of the agenda. But in our current state of extreme dilemma, a larger question remains: what is the role of design in this movement of change?
Imani Hamilton and Nancy Madynski will present the following Workshop Presentation - 10 Strategies for a Low Waste, Low Carbon Building Project
Humans have 10 years to decarbonize before climate change becomes irreversible. Annually, the built environment is responsible for 40% of carbon dioxide emissions globally, and 500 million tons of construction waste in the US. It’s critical for designers and builders at all levels to implement basic strategies for reducing their project’s impact. Bridging general contracting and sustainable design experience, and drawing on a project that was ILFI’s first Zero Carbon single family home candidate, Nancy and Imani will share 10 actionable strategies to build a low waste, low carbon project.
We will:
+ Lead an engaged discussion about construction waste, its environmental impacts, and relationship to decarbonization
+ Share tactics that general contractors and design teams can employ to reduce waste in construction and demolition
+ Define carbon, and how it is measured from an embodied and operational perspective throughout the stages of the building process
+ Share simple strategies for reducing the embodied carbon of a building during the design phase, from materials to specification and sourcing decisions
+ Outline how to achieve a zero operational carbon building, from electric appliances to solar, to offsetting any carbon emissions
+ Discuss how to implement and present low waste and low carbon strategies on a project team and manage client expectations.
+ Together, the context and actionable strategies will enable attendees to improve the sustainability, health, and efficiency of any building project.
It’s time to make low waste, low carbon building accessible and widespread.
2021 Design Principles & Practices Conference: Towards a Design New Deal