Discover how to reduce upfront embodied carbon at the earliest stages of housing design.
Join us for the online launch of the Early Stage Embodied Carbon Tool (ESECT) — a free, easy-to-use web tool designed to help housing associations, local authorities, and development professionals identify low-carbon design approaches in new low-rise housing.
With the majority of a new building’s lifetime carbon emissions occurring before it’s even occupied, early-stage action is critical. This tool makes it possible.
Event Details:
- Date: Thursday, 22 May 2025
- Time: 11:00 – 12:00 BST
- Location: Online (Microsoft Teams – joining link provided upon registration)
- Cost: Free
- Registration deadline: 21 May 2025 at 17:00
Programme:
10 mins – Welcome & introduction
Dr Diana Waldron (Woodknowledge Wales)
- Why embodied carbon matters
- Overview of the Home-Grown Homes project
15 mins – Tool demonstration
Richard Broad (Alliance for Sustainable Building Products)
- How the tool works
- Key design levers and carbon impacts
15 mins – Insights into building elements
Clara Koehler (Woodknowledge Wales)
- Design details and carbon consequences
20 mins – Q&A and live discussion
With Toby Maclean (WKW) and the project team
What you’ll learn:
- What embodied carbon is — and why it matters
- How early-stage decisions shape long-term impacts
- How to use ESECT to assess sites, materials, and services
- How to reduce carbon without complex modelling
Who should attend:
- Development Managers & Officers (HAs & LAs)
- Architects and Designers
- Sustainability Officers
- Policy and Planning Professionals
- Housing Consultants
