Master the lifecycle approach to sustainable building by learning how to quantify, minimize, and offset embodied carbon for a true net zero outcome.
Welcome to "Net Zero Homes: Identifying and Reducing Embodied Carbon," the fifth and final module in the Net Zero Homes series. As the construction industry successfully tackles operational energy efficiency through passive solar design and electrification, the frontier of sustainable building shifts toward the materials themselves. Presented by Jeremy Spencer, a sustainable builder and thermal performance assessor, this course dives into the "hidden" emissions of construction—the embodied carbon found in the lifecycle of building materials. This module guides you through the leading edge of low-carbon construction, moving beyond simple energy efficiency to achieve a "True Zero" outcome.
This comprehensive module is broken down into five distinct topics designed to take you from basic concepts to advanced application. It begins with "Embodied Carbon 101," defining the lifecycle stages of a home—from raw material extraction and manufacturing (cradle to gate) to transport, construction, use, and end-of-life disposal. You will explore why, as electricity grids become greener, the "upfront carbon" in the structure itself becomes the most significant environmental impact of a new build.
The course provides a wealth of practical strategies to minimize this impact. You will learn about design choices that reduce carbon, such as rationalizing building shapes, "dematerializing" by avoiding unnecessary finishes, and prioritizing renovation over rebuilding. The module explores material selection in depth, advocating for recycled content (such as eco-blend concrete), low-carbon mass options like mud brick, and carbon-sequestering materials including timber, hempcrete, and straw. Furthermore, the course emphasizes "design for deconstruction," ensuring that materials can be recovered and reused at the end of a building's life, rather than ending up in landfill.
Beyond design strategies, this course equips you with the technical skills to quantify impact using data. You will learn how to navigate embodied carbon databases like EPIC and how to read Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs) to compare materials based on their Global Warming Potential (GWP). Finally, the module covers the necessary steps to quantify total carbon through third-party certification and explores methods to offset remaining emissions to achieve a carbon-positive or True Zero result.
By the end of this course, you will be able to:
Join us to complete your journey toward sustainable construction and gain the confidence to deliver homes that are not just operationally efficient, but environmentally responsible from the ground up.
Professional Development Courses
Launched in 2007, Pointsbuild became Australia’s first dedicated online continuing professional development (CPD) training provider for the Built Environment. We have since expanded our offering into Association and Membership Bodies, Allied Health, Social Services, and the Public Sectors with a library of nearly 200 online self-paced courses, selling and delivering in excess of 30,000 courses each month.
