Building Better with What We Have: Balancing Carbon, Cost, and Housing

Boston faces twin crises—housing and climate—and must leverage existing buildings in decarbonization efforts. This study evaluates four renovation pathways across multifamily buildings: no renovation, minor renovation, major renovation to new-construction code, and demolition to new construction. With a holistic view of carbon and cost, we identify which interventions deliver the greatest carbon reduction per dollar, using the BERDO database to inform existing conditions of the building stock.