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.
Session Chairs
Session Speakers
Compare the carbon and cost performance of different retrofit strategies, such as envelope upgrades, electrification, and selective versus deep renovations, to identify the most impactful combinations.
Analyze the trade-offs between upfront construction costs and long-term operational savings in achieving net carbon reductions.
Apply whole-life carbon thinking to retrofit decision-making processes, integrating embodied carbon considerations into projects that traditionally focus on operational efficiency.
Inform future policy and design guidance by translating study results into actionable recommendations future code and other housing and sustainability initiatives in the region.
This session is pre-approved for 1 credit hour toward AIA (LU|HSW), BPI, LEED (BD+C), WELL, MA CSL, and NARI certification. Those who attend a full day of the conference are additionally eligible for credit toward Phius and RESNET certification.