Your Renovation’s Carbon Footprint And How to Shrink It

By, Kate Hamblet

If you’re planning a renovation or new build, you’ve probably heard the term carbon footprint. But what does it actually mean for your home, and what can you realistically do about it?

A home’s carbon footprint refers to the total greenhouse gas emissions associated with it. This includes both operational carbon (the energy used to heat, cool, and power your home over time) and embodied carbon (the emissions tied to manufacturing, transporting, and installing the materials used to build or renovate).

While improving energy efficiency has long been the focus, there’s growing attention on embodied carbon. Why? Because those emissions are happening right now, and we need to reduce the amount of carbon going into the atmosphere now (as well as in the future - so don’t stop your efforts on reducing operational carbon!) The construction industry is responsible for a very big percentage of total carbon going into the atmosphere, so it’s important for all of us to focus on it when we renovate or build new.

The good news is that if you’re renovating instead of building new, you’re already making a meaningful environmental choice. Reusing an existing structure avoids the large amount of carbon that would be released from producing and transporting all-new materials. In many cases, this is one of the most impactful decisions you can make.

From there, a few thoughtful choices can shrink your project’s embodied carbon footprint even further.

Start with what’s already there.

Keeping foundations, framing, and as much of the existing structure as possible reduces the need for new materials and the emissions that come with them.

Rethink space before adding more.

Additions are often driven by the feeling of not having enough room. But in many homes, the real issue is layout, not size. By reworking how spaces are used you may find you don’t need an addition at all. (And if you do, it can often be smaller and more efficient.) Think of your house as a blank slate, with no interior walls or names associated with rooms, then see how you’d rearrange it if you could.

Choose simpler design.

Simple forms use fewer materials, create less waste, and are easier to build well, so if you are adding on, focus on a simple design. This means avoiding lots of jogs in the exterior walls and complicated roof lines.

Be thoughtful about materials.

Natural materials like wood, cellulose, cork, and wool are often among the least carbon-intensive options. They require less energy to produce than many synthetic materials, and some even store carbon. This is known as carbon sequestration: plants absorb carbon dioxide as they grow, and that carbon remains stored in the material when it’s used in your home. In some cases, these materials can be considered carbon negative, meaning they store more carbon than is emitted during their production.

Reduce waste during construction.

Be mindful of the finishes that are in your house. If they are in good shape but you don’t like the look of them, can you refinish them rather than tear them out?

During construction, careful planning, right-sizing material orders, and salvaging what you can helps keep usable materials out of the landfill.

It’s easy to assume that “green building” means adding more systems and technology or that it means replacing everything that’s there with something more sustainable. But often, the most impactful choices are the opposite: use what you already have, build only what you need, and keep things as simple as possible.

By focusing on these fundamentals, you can reduce your renovation’s carbon footprint while creating a home that works better for your everyday life.

By, Kate Hamblet

The Wellness Architect Balanced Architecture

Kate helps health-conscious families create homes that support and promote health, happiness and longevity. You'll find her at www.balancedarchitecture.com