Contractor Partners with Climate Earth to Reduce Greenhouse Gas Emissions from Construction Projects

April 17, 2009
Webcor Builders and Climate Earth last week announced a partnership to develop the first database of greenhouse gas emissions specifically targeted for the design and building of new construction projects. The collaboration will enable Webcor, its clients and design team professionals to evaluate and select materials, structural designs, and processes that have a reduced carbon footprint, resulting in more sustainable and environmentally responsible buildings.

Webcor Builders and Climate Earth last week announced a partnership to develop the first database of greenhouse gas emissions specifically targeted for the design and building of new construction projects. The collaboration will enable Webcor, its clients and design team professionals to evaluate and select materials, structural designs, and processes that have a reduced carbon footprint, resulting in more sustainable and environmentally responsible buildings.

“The link between the greenhouse gases released by a company’s supply chain and the phenomenon of global warming makes carbon dioxide equivalence a strategic metric for measuring environmental impact,” said Webcor president and CEO Andy Ball. “Our partnership with Climate Earth will complement other well established green rating systems and allow us to more comprehensively view and affect the impact of construction projects.”

Every building material — from sheets of glass and drywall to steel and concrete — has greenhouse gas emissions associated with its creation. Climate Earth will quantify the greenhouse gases that are generated throughout the construction supply chain — the series of companies that turn raw materials into building products — including mining, manufacturing and transportation.

“The green building standards in use today are mostly focused on the efficiency and performance of a building once it is completed,” said Andrew Deitz, Climate Earth vice president. “Webcor is changing the conversation within the building industry by adding reliable metrics to account for direct and indirect sources of greenhouse gas emissions during a building’s design and construction phases.”

Data from Webcor’s construction projects and Climate Earth’s Enterprise Carbon Accounting (ECA) system will quantify the emissions of construction materials in units of carbon dioxide equivalence. Webcor will use this information to help owners and architects make informed choices during the conceptual stages through completion of a project, when significant greenhouse gas emissions reduction is possible. The reporting metrics will meet the requirements of generally accepted standards (Climate Registry, EPA Climate Leaders, ISO 1400, WRI/WBCSD GHG Protocol) and anticipate emerging national and international standards.

“Understanding the carbon footprint inherent in the creation of a new building will provide a broader picture of the building’s life cycle,” said Phil Williams, Webcor vice president. “By merging the greenhouse gas emissions of materials with our Building Information Modeling technology, we will provide our clients with a powerful tool to make informed, real-time project choices. Providing this type of information is a significant move forward for the building industry.”

Webcor Builders is currently ranked by volume as the largest contractor in California. The company has become well-known for its innovative use of technology and its award-winning leadership in sustainable building and Building Information Modeling. Webcor was recently ranked No. 2 on Engineering News Record’s Top 100 Green Contractors list.

Climate Earth provides a subscription-based Enterprise Carbon Accounting service. The turnkey system provides levels of strategic utility to build brand, reduce costs and increase revenue through the process of reducing a company’s carbon footprint. All direct and indirect carbon emissions are quantified, including the supply chain. Comprehensive carbon statements and metrics are generated with sophisticated business rules and a database of carbon emissions. Key features of the service include rapid turn-around, regular updates for monitoring progress, reporting to stakeholders and an audit trail.