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Username
Christina Aßmann
Proposer First Name
Christina
Proposer Email
christina@passivetopositive.com
Proposer Last Name
Aßmann
Proposer Company/Organization
Passive to Positive
Proposer Phone
(315) 464-0049
Proposer Job Title
Senior Architect/Sustainability Consultant
Proposed Session Description
The building science community has shifted their focus from primarily looking at the reduction of operational carbon to also considering embodied carbon and the environmental impact the material selection of energy efficient building materials has on human health and the environment. This includes the investigation of insulation materials, the make-up of high-efficiency windows and structural materials and the emissions generated for their extraction, manufacturing and transportation. As a collective of holistic-thinking Passive House Consultants, Passive to Positive has incorporated embodied carbon awareness into our work as we advise clients on a multitude of Passive House projects of various scales and building types. The current materials shortage has encouraged a more critical look at reclaimed materials and the viability for integration in high-performance projects. This session will explore the embodied carbon outcomes of various projects based on the designs as they are being constructed, as well as design alternatives, based on a few current case studies. Our range of projects includes deep energy retrofits as well as new construction. Achieving foam-fee strategies and Declare Red List free products is not always possible, but advocacy for those considerations is important and an integral part of our mission and practice.
Diversity and Inclusiveness
Passive to Positive is a collective of professionals who come from different diverse backgrounds. We believe this enriches our practice and the message we convey.
Learning Objectives
Identify strategies to reduce operational and embodied carbon.
Learn about various embodied carbon calculators.
Demonstrate retrofit low-carbon thermal bridge mitigation strategies.
Implement lessons learned in future project challenges.
Has this session been presented before?
No
Additional Comments
A related study has been presented before. Our research is ongoing and is a work in progress.
Session Format
Interview or structured conversation among panelists

Strongest Content Connection - Boston 2022

Anything else you'd like to tell us about your session proposal?
Project examples and strategies: 1. 11 E Lenox St. in Roxbury, MA is a 7 story apartment tower built of Cross Laminated Timber post and beam structure and floor slabs with FRT wood-frame exterior walls. 2. 327 N. Negley Avenue is a 45 unit Passive House retrofit of a historic mid-century Hebrew School in Pittsburgh, PA. The decision was made to save the existing structure rather than demolish it and build new. Two additional floors are being added to the existing two-story building. The combination of retrofit and new construction offers a panoply of challenges in terms of control layer continuity and thermal bridging. The Hebrew School is itself and addition to a 1923 Synagogue which will be renovated during a second phase into a community owned and operated space including renovated space for worship, community events, performance and fine arts as well as supporting functions for an on-site regenerative farm. 3. 1600 W North Ave. is a combination of Passive House retrofit and reconstruction of 7 row homes in Baltimore, MD. It is a design collaboration of Onion Flats Architects, Staengl Engineering and Passive to Positive. At the time of this writing, numerous decisions about assemblies and materials are under evaluation. This investigation includes the embodied carbon and toxicity of 2x8 walls with no continuous insulation versus 2x6 walls with reclaimed poly-iso. 4. Willow Street is an 18 unit new-construction, mixed-income housing project. Reclaimed foam insulation will be used for the foundation and small sections of roof structure.
Reviewer 1
Evans, Bryan
Reviewer 2
Evans, Bryan
Proposal #
184
Committee Decision
Being Considered
Full Description
It is critical to think of operational and embodied carbon as interlinked. We can no longer consider them independently of one another. Our research and methodology is ongoing and demonstrates a motivation to consider projects holistically. This approach pushes beyond our main focus on Passive House and merges the analysis of building performance with global warming potential considerations.