Get Started: Reducing Embodied Carbon – Lucy Humphrey, Studio Ecology

Reducing embodied carbon in all new buildings and renovations is fast becoming a global priority, and in Australia new regulations are on the horizon.

In today's episode, we move on to our final theme - Getting Started - and the first of two episodes to conclude the season.

I talk with environmental architect, artist and well known Australian climate advocate Lucy Humphrey. Lucy is a director of the climate active architecture practice Studio Ecology, she teaches at the School of Architecture at the University of Sydney and the Sydney University of Technology and was a co-founder of the Australian branch of ACAN.

Today, Lucy gives us a powerful wake up call about the current state of our planet. And she shares strategies to help us decarbonise our designs and meet our global targets, so together we can bring about change.

We'll learn about:

• What's really happening to the planet and why change is urgent,
• The validity of climate emotions
• About Life cycle carbon assessments and practical strategies to reduce embodied carbon.
• What's happening to the construction industry in Denmark where construction carbon caps are now mandatory, and also
• The critical importance wholistic design thinking

Australian Architects can claim formal CPD hours the time they spend listening to the podcasts.

MORE INFORMATION

Find everything you need on the Renovation Collaborative website.

www.renovationcollaborative.com.au

• PODCASTKey points summary, timestamps and resource links
• FREERESOURCESTranscript edited into clear Q&A.
• CPDAustralian architects can find more information on CPD, and
• COURSESEleven easy to read courses demystifying the entire home design and construction process.

KEY POINTS SUMMARY

[01:08:57] Stephanie:

Today's summary only scratches the surface, and I found it very challenging to narrow down six key points. Lucy’s knowledge and passion are both inspiring and empowering so I recommend listening to the episode or reading the transcript.

1. Climate emotions are valid and can include heavy feelings such as anger, isolation, grief and guilt. It's completely acceptable and healthy to take a step back and say, ‘No, I'm not engaging with this today.’ As an industry, we need to foster open conversations about this to enable everyone to embrace change.

2. Enable clients to make informed decisions about their home designs by sharing embodied carbon information and letting them decide.

The best time to start talking about reducing embodied carbon is in the concept design stage at the very beginning of the project. This is when we have the most power to reduce carbon and all environmental impacts, because we can choose not to build, to reduce the size, we set the direction for the structural system and the form.

Present...