The NH Chapter kicked off the new year with a roundtable event hosted by Chapman Construction/Design in Manchester, NH. The event brought together like-minded green building professionals to discuss current trends in the industry, share ideas and network. Much of the discussion focused on reducing embodied carbon which accounts for a significant amount of greenhouse gas emissions in the construction industry. Embodied carbon looks at the lifecycle of construction materials from extraction to disposal and is quantified as carbon dioxide equivalent (CO2e) units. Examples of materials include asphalt, concrete, steel and insulation. Potential impacts are conveyed through Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs) which can be used when selecting materials. EPDs also include information such as global warming potential, eutrophication impacts, and manufacturing processes.

In addition to reviewing EPDs to make informed decisions, attendees discussed Building Green’s Contractor's Commitment where contractor’s can pledge to reduce the environmental impact of their project. Categories include carbon reduction, jobsite wellness, waste management, water management, and material selection. As part of the process, contractors implement planning and track various metrics to showcase their improvement over the course of the project.

Based on the great topics of discussion and attendance last week, we’re hoping to schedule more roundtable events in the future.  Please let us know if you have ideas for future discussions, sign up for our emails and check website to learn more.