Podcast: Reduce Complexity to Reduce Carbon

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In Episode 78 of The Hammer , Elastochem’s Rockford Boyer joins host Patrick Flannery to explore an increasingly important topic in the construction industry: how building assembly design can influence embodied carbon. The conversation looks beyond individual materials to consider the number of inputs that go into a building and how reducing complexity can help lower its overall environmental impact.

Rethinking Complexity in Building Assemblies

When we think about reducing embodied carbon, the conversation often starts with the materials themselves. But Rocky takes a broader look at how a building comes together and the impact of the entire assembly.

Every additional layer in a wall can mean more materials, as well as the extraction, transportation, manufacturing, and eventual replacement associated with those materials. As embodied carbon becomes an increasingly important consideration in building design and as regulations continue to evolve, Rocky discusses why it may be worth reconsidering whether every layer in an assembly is necessary.

The idea is simple: if we can achieve the same performance with fewer components, we may also be able to reduce the carbon associated with the assembly.

“By having the same R-value of the wall enclosure, we could eliminate the two layers with spray foam.”

Considering Transportation Impacts

Secondary components are often overlooked when considering embodied carbon, but the transportation required to get these materials to a jobsite can quickly add up. Rocky shares one project where he was able to help reduce the amount of product being transported by train from approximately sixty loads to just twelve, saving forty-eight train loads of transportation alone. He also points out that the traffic and vehicles associated with transporting materials are not always accounted for in EPD calculations, highlighting another impact that can be missed when looking at the full lifecycle of a product.

A Heritage Retrofit Case Study

One of the key examples discussed in the episode is a heritage retrofit project in London, Ontario. The original wall assembly consisted of five layers, but by incorporating spray foam insulation, the design was reduced to just three layers while still maintaining the required performance.

This change demonstrates how reducing complexity can deliver benefits beyond construction. By eliminating two layers, the project reduced the amount of material required while also creating a more cost-effective solution. At the same time, the streamlined design helped reduce the project’s overall embodied carbon.

Listen to the Full Episode

Interested in hearing the full conversation? Listen to Rockford Boyer’s discussion with Patrick Flannery on The Hammer , Episode 78: Reduce Complexity to Reduce Carbon .

Listen on Apple Podcasts

Listen on Spotify