Optimizing Building Material Selection for Performance, Carbon, and Cost

Enhancing the Material Selection Process

Building materials are an essential part of building design and construction. Four walls and a roof can make an enclosure. However, these elements must be meticulously designed and installed for efficiency, comfort, and durability. While the location, climate, and site drive the choice of materials for a structure, the building assemblies determine the performance, cost, and carbon associated with it. An immediate need in architecture is the practice of careful material selection, beginning in the initial stages of design. Rather than solely picking up materials with the lowest Global Warming Potential (GWP), the broader impact of the material should always be considered.

This guide offers a detailed workflow of selecting materials based on three
major parameters – thermal performance, embodied carbon, and cost using AssemblyBuilder, a new feature by cove.tool and cove.tool’s new, extensive product database curated by building industry experts. It briefly touches on the role of materials in the built environment and the key benefits of using automation for material selection.