A expert on reducing carbon in Canadian buildings gives us some guidance

To reduce the carbon we use in running our homes, we need to use new materials like insulation, windows, etc. BUT, it can take a great deal of carbon to produce, transport, maintain and then recycle or dump these materials. This is “embodied carbon” – you can read more at Carbon Cure (I borrowed the image above from them). Since this embodied carbon can negate the environmental benefits of efficiency improvements, its critical to understand what materials are being used in your upgrades, and to take this concept into account when deciding what changes to make to your house. In this interview, Kelly Alvarez Doran, an architect and leading expert in carbon reduction for Canadian building from ha/f climate design studio, talks us through how to think about and respond to these considerations in simple ways.  Enjoy!