Rajvi Shah, LEED Green Assoc., ENV SP, a sustainable design specialist for STV, was recently selected to join the American Institute of Architects (AIA) California Chapter’s Embodied Carbon Working Group. This group focuses on advocacy and education efforts at both the state and local level that are tied to advancing embodied carbon ordinances, best practices, tools and strategies.

Embodied greenhouse gas emissions, aka embodied carbon, are emissions that occur from materials and construction activity. Last July, California updated its CALGreen regulations, an initiative designed to reduce the environmental footprint of buildings – including an emphasis on embodied carbon reduction. The code requires non-residential buildings over 100,000 square feet and schools over 50,000 square feet to meet specific sustainability criteria. 

As part of AIA California’s working group, Shah will work with other industry professionals to communicate and educate embodied carbon measures so that design and construction professionals are well-informed about the latest requirements. Additionally, the group is advocating for the adoption of CALGreen tiers by jurisdictions and intends to work with local municipal governments to integrate higher-performance standards that will reduce embodied carbon in the built environment.

“There have been significant advancements in the understanding of embodied carbon’s impacts on the built environment and what we, as designers, architects and engineers can do early on in a project to reduce these emissions,” Shah said. “However, committees like AIA California’s working group can further amplify best practices and reduction strategies and work at the local level to make a tangible difference.”