Chapter 3

 The Carbon Challenge is making people aware of how much carbon is being produced when new buildings are being constructed.  Bring the matter to the forefront can help prevent permanent damage from happening, and that is why the Carbon Leadership forum is asking for people to become members and help them find answers to this carbon problem.  Reading further into the Carbon challenge they explain that there are two different kinds of carbon.  There is operational carbon and embodied carbon.  Operational Carbon is created through the building sector and can be reduced over the next couple years the more they incorporate renewable energy.  Embodied carbon comes from the manufacturing, transportation, and from the construction materials.  Once embodied carbon has entered the atmosphere it cannot be taken out, it will always be apart of our world.  That should put a sense of urgency pulled to the forefront of our brain when we are designing buildings and interiors.  We should take into our consideration where the products are coming from, what it takes to make them, and how it will overall affect our environment.


Global C02 EmissionsThe circle graph on the left is showing us what percentage of carbon is being emitted by building operations, materials, non-building materials, transport, etc.

If we continue down the same path of construction without changing anything, this is what our total carbon emissions will be within the next 30 years.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h1piVin01vQ
This video clips goes into further detail about what embodied carbon is.

One Step Further:
Embodied carbon is hard to reduce, but there are some basic building ways to reduce the possible carbon.  When looking at building sites, do not look for sites where you have to stabilize the soil and have to create a deep foundation.  You could potentially save up to 30% of embodied carbon.  Some other major reducers are: choosing timber framing, opting for carbon reducing materials, design thinner floor slabs, and minimize the mass of the structure.  Embodied carbon is not something we can get rid of, but we can also help our environment last longer depending on our building decisions.  

https://www.oneclicklca.com/embodied-carbon-reduction-in-construction/?utm_campaign=US%202020%20Search&utm_medium=cpc&utm_source=google&gclid=Cj0KCQjw1dGJBhD4ARIsANb6Odk2KfM8vXBSJyaxF2rHzeTSQKH31GNDb_Tpv8eEe_uMC486hRx_pYUaAgXUEALw_wcB


Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Supima Cotton & Rayon Fiber

Image
Supima Cotton Cotton is generally a short staple fiber but, Supima cotton is a rare extra long staple fiber cotton, measuring at least 34 millimeters. This type of cotton is primarily found on family farms in California and the American Southwest. It was developed nearly 100 years ago in Arizona. Its name, which means superior pima, to pay tribute to the special quality seeds used to produce this cotton. This cotton is referred to as "the worlds finest cotton" this is due to the excellent strength and color last of this cotton.  It is used by big cotton producers since it offers such great strength ad holds color well. With having 35% longer fibers, it helps make this cotton softer than short fiber cotton. The twists with this cotton come out cleaner and smoother with less pilling happening. Having such a soft fiber that is strong allows it to be nicely draped.  When growing a high end cotton the process of growing the crops is best to be clean and sustainable. Most farmers w...
Read more

Week 12: Carpet Padding

Image
 Carpet padding is an important detail to flooring because it can help carpets and rugs last longer, protect the flooring underneath, and even make it more comfortable to walk on.  There is carpet padding and carpet cushions.  They are similar but different in their materials and usage.  Pads are more of the felt options.  The three major cushion categories are fibrous cushions, rubber and latex, and foam cushions. Fibrous cushions are made from natural fibers and are needle punched into the padding.  The most prominent fibers used is hair and jute.  This is an inexpensive option, but they do not last the longest.  Since they are made from natural fibers they age and crumble more quickly than a manufactured cushion. Rubber and latex cushions are the most flexible option out of the three.  They can made out of natural rubber or from synthetic polymer.  This is not the largest part of the market though because of how many people are allerg...
Read more

Chapter 5 Blog: Bamboo Fabric and Cotton Processing

Image
  Fiber Identification by Burning Fibers all have different compositions and they all react to fire in different ways. The ways that these fibers react can tell us what type of fiber it is. For instance cotton will burn but it will not melt, it will start to smell like burning wood. It does not leave a dark ash or smoke it is a white color. Since cotton is a natural cellulose fiber, all other natural cellulose fibers will burn with the same characteristics. Natural protein fibers, such as wool and silk, will burn but not melt, very strong burnt hair smell, when its removed from the fire it will stop burning, and leaves dark black beads once it has been burned. Rayon is partially a cellulose fiber and partially an artificial fiber but, it burns the same way as the cellulose fiber where it won't melt and smells like burning wood.  Polyester is an artificial fiber and burns very differentially than natural fibers. This fabric will start to shrink, melt, and burn from fire. Once i...
Read more