Building Better with What We Have: Balancing Carbon, Cost, and Housing in Greater Boston
Watch SOCOTEC's expert-led webinar to explore renovation strategies for multifamily buildings in Greater Boston. Our experts reviewed four retrofit pathways, embodied carbon, carbon and cost trade-offs, and BERDO building stock data, and shared insights to inform future policy and sustainable housing initiatives in the region.
Boston faces twin crises, housing and climate, and must leverage existing buildings in decarbonization efforts. This study evaluates four renovation pathways across multifamily buildings: no renovation, minor renovation, major renovation to new-construction code, and demolition to new construction. With a holistic view of carbon and cost, we identify which interventions deliver the greatest carbon reduction per dollar, using the BERDO database to inform existing conditions of the building stock.
Participants will receive 1 AIA LU credit.
Learning Objectives:
What You'll Learn
- Compare the carbon and cost performance of different retrofit strategies, such as envelope upgrades, electrification, and selective versus deep renovations, to identify the most impactful combinations.
- Analyze the trade-offs between upfront construction costs and long-term operational savings in achieving net carbon reductions.
- Apply whole-life carbon thinking to retrofit decision-making processes, integrating embodied carbon considerations into projects that traditionally focus on operational efficiency.
- Inform future policy and design guidance by translating study results into actionable recommendations future code and other housing and sustainability initiatives in the region.
- Compare the carbon and cost performance of different retrofit strategies, such as envelope upgrades, electrification, and selective versus deep renovations, to identify the most impactful combinations.
- Analyze the trade-offs between upfront construction costs and long-term operational savings in achieving net carbon reductions.
- Apply whole-life carbon thinking to retrofit decision-making processes, integrating embodied carbon considerations into projects that traditionally focus on operational efficiency.
- Inform future policy and design guidance by translating study results into actionable recommendations future code and other housing and sustainability initiatives in the region.
Who Benefits
- Architects and designers
- Real estate developers
- Building owners and property managers
- Sustainability and ESG professionals
- Other professionals working on multifamily renovations, adaptive reuse, or sustainable housing projects in Greater Boston
About the Speakers
Abbott PRICE, Project Manager - Energy
Abbott Price is an energy modeler, based in NYC, with over 5 years of experience. Her focus is in multifamily buildings, decarbonization studies, and Passive House. With a focus on the latest energy codes (MA Stretch 2023, etc.) and building performance standards (BERDO and LL97) Abbott helps building owners and design teams navigate an ever changing landscape.
Matthew MONGAN, Project Manager - Sustainability
Matthew Mongan is a Project Manager specializing in sustainable design and construction projects across the U.S. He provides expertise in embodied carbon, energy performance, water efficiency, daylighting, and LEED feasibility for commercial and institutional projects. Matthew collaborates with multidisciplinary teams to support sustainability goals and resilient, high-performing buildings.
