Using The Carbon Avoided: Retrofit Estimator (CARE) Tool to Adapt & Reuse Existing Building Stock

Tuesday, April 29, 2025 | 12-1 p.m. Eastern Time
1 LU/HSW

The quote by Carl Elefante, “The greenest building is. . . one that is already built” is well known. But until recently, it’s been difficult to prove that statement with data. The Carbon Avoided: Retrofit Estimator (CARE) Tool addresses this need, showing that preserving and retrofitting existing buildings has a far smaller total carbon impact on the environment than demolishing and constructing a new “net zero” building in its place. The CARE Tool produces this data by comparing the total carbon impact (embodied carbon, operating carbon, and avoided carbon) of 3 different building types: an existing building, an existing building that has been restored and energy retrofitted, and a new, low-carbon building. Using evidence from CARE can significantly increase the number of buildings we preserve and reuse, especially in major cities. Learn how you can use this free tool to collect comprehensive carbon data to inform design decision-making and meet project sustainability goals.

 Learning Objectives:

  • Describe how you can meet sustainability goals through the adaptive reuse of existing buildings.
  • Identify the most carbon intensive elements of a building.
  • Analyze the differences and benefits of building new buildings with low embodied carbon vs. reusing buildings that have high embodied carbon.
  • Learn how to collect comprehensive carbon data to incorporate into design decision-making.

About the Speaker

Lori Ferriss, AIA, PE, LEED AP BD+C
Co-Founder and Executive Director, Built Buildings Lab

Lori_Ferriss

Lori Ferriss is an internationally recognized expert in leveraging existing and historic buildings toward a sustainable, resilient, and equitable future. Her award-winning work as an architect, structural engineer, conservator, and educator combines broad policy development with deep technical insights to harness the existing built environment as a climate solution. As a Principal at Boston-based design firm Goody Clancy, she founded the Regenerative Renewal practice that re-envisions architecture at the intersection of decarbonization and heritage. She is a co-developer of Architecture 2030’s CARE Tool, which estimates the carbon benefits of reusing and retrofitting buildings.

The AIA recognized Lori with the Young Architect Award for expanding the role of architects while elevating building reuse as a prime strategy to combat climate change. Lori has served as a Design Research and Teaching Fellow with Northeastern University and has taught as an adjunct at the University of Washington. She was the 2023 Chair of the AIA Committee on the Environment and serves as a Steering Committee representative of the Climate Heritage Network, a founding Co-Chair of the Zero Net Carbon Collaboration for Existing and Historic Buildings, an expert member on the ICOMOS International Scientific Committee on Energy, Sustainability and Climate Change, and a Senior Fellow of Architecture 2030.

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