(B05) How We Get from A letter to Ze Impact

Building products are responsible for an estimated 10% of global carbon emissions annually. The Ellen Macarthur Foundation estimates that the transition to renewable energy will address only 55% of emissions and the remaining 45% must be dealt with by reimagining how we design buildings and make the products we specify. LEED Version 5.0 is designed to accelerate market transformation by aligning with leading industry initiatives, such as the AIA Materials Pledge and the mindfulMATERIALS Common Materials Framework. The question is, what happens next? How does our industry adopt this holistic approach in practice? This session will address this question and give attendees multiple strategies to integrate the pledge into their practice, using the LEED Version 5.0 standard as a framework. Speakers, which include representatives from mindfulMATERIALS, the Cradle to Cradle Products Innovation Institute (C2CPII), and Tarkett, will discuss how they are helping to harmonize actionable pathways for both manufacturers and designers. We’ll hear about the Common Materials Framework from mindfulMATERIALS, which gives structure to over 650 relevant sustainability factors identified within these pledges and makes it searchable and actionable. C2CPII will discuss the role of certifying bodies and how their certification aligns with these initiatives to provide a pathway to fully optimized products. A representative from the Tarkett sustainability team will discuss how their work with multi-attribute certifications has led them to adopt a holistic approach to product design across their portfolio. We’ll discuss how designers can use LEED v5 credits to optimize their specifications to select healthy, climate positive, and equitable products that align with leading industry initiatives. Attendees will walk away with a deep understanding of a holistic approach to selecting materials that are healthy for people and the planet, and tools they can use to incorporate them in their projects.