cove.tool has joined efforts with the Carbon Leadership Forum to eliminate embodied carbon in mechanical, electrical, and plumbing (MEP) building systems by 2040. Often skipped in current embodied carbon calculations, MEP systems are becoming more of a focus as the need to holistically remove carbon from construction and building operations increases. The initiative announced October 31st, 2021, is another step by the Architecture, Engineering, and Construction (AEC) Industry to tackle climate change.

The MEP 2040 Challenge requires that each signatory firm commits to four key actions.

• Establish a company plan to reduce operational and embodied carbon across MEP systems on all projects, targeting zero by 2040. Measure and report progress against the plan annually.

• Request low-GWP refrigerant availability when designing systems to reduce or eliminate GHG emissions from refrigerants.

• Request Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs) in project specifications for MEP system components.

• Participate in quarterly MEP 2040 Forum and CLF Community discussion group to share lessons learned and contribute to the growth of knowledge.
  

As a supporter of the challenge, cove.tool seeks to help firms meet these commitments with the many tools and functions built into our platform. With analysis.tool, teams can calculate (and benchmark) the operational carbon of all of their projects. They can also quickly generate the data needed to measure and report progress for the commitment. With loadmodeling.tool, teams can push for reduced building loads that will, in turn, reduce the scale of MEP systems required. With smaller systems, the reduced amount of ductwork, pipework, electrical cables, etc., will also reduce the embodied carbon!

“The MEP 2040 Challenge is critical for reaching true zero carbon construction. Made up of many advanced materials, the full scope of MEP systems embodied carbons is not well known,” says Patrick Pease, Mechanical Engineering Director at cove.tool. “MEP system embodied carbon reduction is a challenging task that cove.tool is excited to work towards with the CLF.”

To learn more about the MEP 2040 Challenge, visit the Carbon Leadership Forum. Firms can sign up for the challenge, explore tools, and learn from the online community.