PSCE
5131

Design + Embodied Carbon

Parsons School of Design: School of Constructed Env.

Non-Liberal Arts
Undergraduate Course
Graduate Course
Degree Students
Design + Embodied Carbon
Spring 2024
Taught By: David Lewis
Section: A

CRN: 6943

Credits: 3

In order to meet carbon emissions targets to keep under a 1.5-degree centigrade global warming benchmark to avoid ecological tipping points that trigger irreversible feedback loops, there is urgent recognition that embodied carbon in how we construct our environments must be addressed and reduced. Currently, embodied carbon attributed to just the core and shell of new construction is responsible for 11% of global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Moreover, while operational carbon can be reduced over time through more efficient buildings and the use of renewable resources, embodied carbon emissions are already released by the time a building is built. This means that by 2030, if changes are not made in the embodied carbon of construction, approximately 74% of total carbon emissions for new construction will come from embodied carbon costs. In short, this seminar is focused on going to come to terms the existential crisis of climate change by rethinking the embodied carbon inherent in the building materials, assembly processes, infrastructural systems, life expectancy and demolition or recycling of architecture. This seminar is focused on taking up this issue of status, value and impact of architecture reset by the consideration of embodied carbon. This will be done through interwoven areas of examination: History, materials and representation, including an examination of the role of data as demonstrated by Life Cycle Assessments (LCA’s) to construct knowledge.

Open to: All university graduate degree students; upper level undergraduate students with permission.

College: Parsons School of Design (PS)

Department: School of Constructed Env. (SCE)

Campus: New York City (GV)

Course Format: Seminar (R)

Modality: In-Person

Max Enrollment: 16

Add/Drop Deadline: February 4, 2024 (Sunday)

Online Withdrawal Deadline: April 16, 2024 (Tuesday)

Seats Available: No

Status: Closed*

* Status information is updated every few minutes. The status of this course may have changed since the last update. Open seats may have restrictions that will prevent some students from registering. Updated: 4:20am EDT 3/28/2024

Meeting Info:
Days: Wednesday
Times: 9:00am - 11:40am
Building: 66 5th Ave
Room: 819
Date Range: 1/24/2024 - 5/8/2024