Lecture: Embodied Energy in Construction

Last week we were back at Wrexham University, where Pete gave a talk on embodied energy in construction – a subject that’s becoming increasingly critical to how we design and build.

Embodied energy accounts for the carbon impact locked into materials, manufacturing, transport and construction long before a building is ever occupied. As operational energy reduces through better efficiency, embodied energy now represents a significant proportion of a building’s total lifetime carbon footprint.

Pete’s talk explored why understanding and reducing embodied energy is essential if the industry is serious about addressing the climate emergency, and how architects have a responsibility to make informed choices about materials, structural systems and reuse from the earliest stages of design.

It was great to be back engaging with students and discussing how future generations of designers can help drive more sustainable, low-carbon construction.