The Guide was co-published by MEP 2040 and the Carbon Leadership Forum on Earth Day, 2025.

Cover page of a guide titled 'The Beginner's Guide to MEP Embodied Carbon' with an abstract smoky background and sections about MEP 2040, authors, contributors, reviewers, citation, and copyright.

Our Mission:
MEP 2040 is a movement to radically reduce total carbon emissions associated with building systems through collective action.

The MEP 2040 Challenge

“All systems engineers shall advocate for and achieve net zero carbon in their projects: operational carbon by 2030 and embodied carbon by 2040.”

The Carbon Leadership Forum issued the Challenge in the fall of 2021. A group of leaders from MEP firms responded to the Challenge and collectively established a Commitment for you to join. Moving forward, this group of leaders will be responsible for convening signatories around a common goal.

Many MEP design firms and MEP manufacturers that are already responding to this Challenge. Next, we’ll need more of you to join in and figure out how to implement this challenge at scale. It takes a movement to change a world!

The MEP 2040 Commitment

  1. Establish a company plan

  2. Request low-GWP refrigerants

  3. Request EPDs

  4. Participate in Forums

Kate Simonen, executive director of the Carbon Leadership Forum:

“The Challenge demands more than vague promises by building designers to do better. It requires a set of solid commitments to take specific actions, including reducing refrigerants, requesting data from manufacturers, and becoming active participants in industry-wide efforts to decarbonize building systems.”

MEP Firm Signatories

The MEP 2040 Commitment is intended for MEP engineering and design firms. Companies and organizations that are not MEP firms are recognized as Supporters of the Commitment (see below).

Your organization can:
~ Issue a public statement of support.
~ Publicize MEP 2040 to your employees or members via newsletters and social media.
~ Attend quarterly MEP 2040 forums.
~ Highlight ongoing progress of the Challenge on your channels.
~ Suggest to MEP firms in your network that they become signatories.

  • Isometric black and white drawing of a three-dimensional, stylized number 29.
  • Black and white logo with four globe-like spheres and the text '3N&M Innovation'
  • AHA engineering
  • Red letters spelling out 'AKF' on a white background.
  • Logo for Allen + Shariff, MEP Engineering and Project Management, featuring an orange geometric design and text in orange and dark blue.
  • Logo of Alter Engineers featuring a stylized blue lightning bolt and the company name in purple text.
  • altieri logo
  • Logo of the ama group, featuring a red circle with vertical white lines on the left and lowercase red and gray text reading 'ama group'
  • The logo of AE Group featuring the letters A, M, E in colored circles and the word Group in gray.
  • Logo with the words BALA Engineers, with 'BALA' in large multicolored letters and 'ENGINEERS' in smaller black letters below.
  • The word "ballinger" written in bold black letters on a light gray background.
  • The image shows the word 'BRA' in bold dark gray letters with a small orange plus sign next to the letter 'A'.
  • Logo for Bridgers & Paxton featuring a stylized B and the company name with the tagline 'Innovative Dependable Solutions'.
  • Logo with a stylized red letter B and the word "Budlong" below it.
  • Buro Happold logo in black text with yellow lines above and below on a gray background.
  • Cannon Design logo in red text on a light background.
  • Logo for CB Engineers featuring a blue water droplet with a white swirling line, and text that reads 'CB Engineers Building Experience'.
  • Clark Nexsen logo with text and a blue geometric icon.
  • Clayco logo with text 'Design & Engineering'
  • CMTA logo with circular green dots forming a pattern to the left of the black text 'CMTA'.
  • CoolSys logo on the left, ENERGY DESIGN CONSULTING ENGINEERS text on the right
  • Logo of Cosentini, a Tetra Tech company, featuring stylized text on a light background.
  • Cushing Terrell logo with the company name in bold dark blue letters on a white background.
  • Digital graphic with blue and green elements, featuring the number 20 and pixelated design.
  • Logo with lowercase letters 'db' and large uppercase letters 'HMS' separated by a vertical line.
  • DBR logo with a red geometric symbol and the letters 'DBR' in red on a light gray background.
  • DLR Group logo featuring an orange square with a white square inside, next to the text 'DLR Group'.
  • Logo with the word 'ECOTOPE' and a yellow circular design element.
  • ELARA Engineering logo with a blue and green stylized compass above the text.
  • Logo featuring the word 'nergio' with a stylized sun and city skyline above, and a wind turbine integrated into the design.
  • Bold text displaying the names 'Ewing' in dark gray, 'Cole' in light gray, and 'Cole' in blue on a white background.
  • Logo with multi-colored circles and the word 'exp' with a red period.
  • Logo with a stylized falcon head in a circle, text reads 'The Falcon Group' with 'FALCON' in large brown letters.
  • Fischer Energy logo with stylized, striped geometric shape above the company name
  • Fisair logo with text 'air humidity control' and a water droplet icon.
  • Logo of Fitzmeyer & Tocci Associates, Inc. featuring a stylized mountain with layered blue and teal triangles.
  • Fsi Engineers logo with black lowercase letters 'fsi' inside a lime green square outline, and the word 'ENGINEERS' in black capital letters below.
  • Logo of GHT Limited Consulting Engineers featuring a stylized 'GHT' in large white and yellow letters and the company name in dark blue, with the tagline 'Consulting Engineers'.
  • Glamac logo with the text 'A Tetra Tech Company' underneath.
  • Logo of Goldman Cochran & Associates Consulting Engineers with red and black text on a white background.
  • GreenViet logo with a checkmark and leaf design, and the slogan 'Building Sustainable Practices'.
  • Logo for Guttmann & Blaevet Consulting Engineers featuring stylized G and B initials in orange and green, with the company name and slogan
  • Logo for Hammershlag & Joffe Inc., Consulting Engineers with stylized initials 'h' and 'j'.
  • The word 'HARGIS' written in stylized capital letters with a modern font.
  • HEAPY logo in black and white with stylized letter H
  • Close-up of a text that says 'I HED' in bold, uppercase letters.
  • Henderson Companies logo with green and blue H icons, accompanied by text indicating departments: Henderson Engineers and Henderson Building Solutions, and a note that the company is employee owned.
  • Text that reads 'HOOFER WELKER' in black capital letters on a white background.
  • A gray square with the letters HGA in white text.
  • Red square with white text displaying 'oh + k' with a white circle around the letter 'o'.
  • Logo of IMEG, featuring geometric shapes in red, green, and blue, followed by the company name in blue text.
  • Logo with stylized black wave design followed by the text 'INTERFACE ENGINEERING' in black capital letters.
  • Logo of Introba with a geometric hexagon symbol and black text
  • J&B logo with stylized blue lettering on a light background.
  • Logo for Kelly Wright & Associates HVAC, plumbing, fire protection services, featuring a gear and orange initials 'kw'
  • Logo of KMB Design Group with a globe and text stating 'Responsive Engineering | Proven Results' and 'Licensed in 50 States'.
  • Company logo for Kohler Ronan, LLC, Consulting Engineers, featuring a large stylized 'KR' with the company name and description.
  • Red background with white text that reads 'LEGO A DAILY'
  • Logo for Little Diversified Architectural Consulting with stylized text and a small red accent above the letter I.
  • Logo with the text 'LONE STAR' and a blue star with a red outline replacing the letter 'A' in 'STAR', and the word 'MEPI' underneath.
  • Logo for Loring Consulting Engineers with the word 'Loring' and a red circle replacing the letter 'O'.
  • Red square with white text reading "LPA" in the center.
  • MacDonald-Miller Facility Solutions logo with red oval and white stylized 'MM' letters above company name and service description.
  • magrann logo
  • The word 'MAZZETTI' in bold black and white letters.
  • MCE logo with stylized arrow design on the left and the letters 'MCE' on the right.
  • McKinstry logo with the tagline "For The Life Of Your Building"
  • The image features the words "me engineers" with "me" in large green letters and "engineers" in smaller dark blue letters beneath it.
  • A logo with a compass inside a triangle and the text 'MEPCE' below.
  • The word 'MERITS' in bold blue uppercase letters.
  • Meyers Engineers logo with red text 'MEYERS+' and gray text 'ENGINEERS' on a white background.
  • Upside-down letter logo with the words 'Cactus Mudus' in gray and green colors.
  • A stylized logo with overlapping green and gray shapes forming the letter 'M,' a red downward triangle, and the word 'Mueller' in bold red letters below.
  • Newcomb & Boyd logo with large 'INB' letters and red triangle inside the 'B'.
  • Logo of Next2nd Co., Ltd featuring a white rocket illustration on a red background with company name below.
  • The word 'NORR' written in bold, dark blue letters.
  • Graphic with the characters N, V, and 5 separated by vertical lines
  • Logo of P2S Inc with stylized text
  • Logo with red and black pixelated squares forming the letter 'L' and the text 'PAE'.
  • Logo for PLEX, Building Systems Inc., with the word 'PLEX' in stylized black letters and a recycling symbol around a green triangle in the letter 'E'.
  • Logo of Point Energy Innovations featuring a blue geometric circle and the company name in blue text.
  • Logo for Positive Energy with a blue and green circular design and a leaf element.
  • The Progressive Companies logo featuring a red stylized P and the words 'Progressive Companies' in white text on a light gray background.
  • Logo featuring a stylized geometric shape resembling a tree or leaf, with the text 'RANDALL LAMB' below.
  • Logo for REG Resource Engineering Group, featuring a red square with a white leaf shape and black and red text.
  • Logo of RDA Robert Director Associates Consulting Engineers with a list of services including IT, Security & AV, Mission Critical, Commissioning, Energy & Sustainability, and Acoustics.
  • Business card for R. W. Sullivan Engineering with logo and services listed.
  • Text-based graphic with the phrases 'nyan soames' and 'engineering' arranged in a creative, overlapping, diagonal layout.
  • The word 'SÁZÁN' written in green stylized letters with diacritical marks.
  • Salas O'Brien logo with blue background and white text
  • Logo featuring three stylized trees and the text 'SDC' with a website URL SURVEY.DESIGN.CONSULT.
  • Logo with two abstract human figures, one gray and one tan, separated by a triangle, with the text 'Smith + Andersen' beneath.
  • Black text that says "SMITHGROUP" on a white background.
  • Red text on a light background spelling out 'SOM'
  • Syska Hennessy Group logo with a stylized red and white geometric symbol and gray text.
  • Logo of STÆNGL Engineering featuring bold black text and a green 3D geometric shape.
  • Stantec logo featuring a black circular emblem with a stylized S and the company name in bold black letters.
  • Taylor Engineers logo with red and gray text on a white background.
  • TLC Engineering Solutions logo with a stylized triangular icon and blue text.
  • Logo with a globe and network lines, and the text 'Transduction Technologies'
  • UMC logo with an orange geometric emblem and the lowercase letters 'umc' in black.
  • Vanderweil logo with gray and green design
  • verdius logo
  • Logo for WB Engineers and Consultants with the initials 'WB' in bold brown inside a gray circle, and 'Engineers + Consultants' written to the right.
  • The word 'Wight' with the letter 'i' replaced by a red dot and a black outline rectangle around the letters.
  • Logo for Windward Engineers & Consultants with stylized text and a blue accent on the 'W'.

Supporting Organizations

Your organization can:

~ Issue a public statement of support.
~ Publicize MEP 2040 to your employees or members via newsletters and social media.
~ Attend quarterly MEP 2040 forums.
~ Highlight ongoing progress of the Challenge on your channels.
~ Suggest to MEP firms in your network that they become signatories.

  • Logo with orange square background, white stylized 'A' and '2' separated by a diagonal line, and the word 'EFFICIENCY' below.
  • ACI Mechanical & HVAC Sales logo with slogan 'Helping Buildings Thrive'.
  • AE Design logo with stylized door opening and shadow.
  • Text logo reading 'Aecis Arkitektura' with a red arrow pointing to the right.
  • Logo of spaces.ai with stylized black shapes and the text 'spaces.ai' below.
  • Amazon logo with black text and an orange arrow beneath the word.
  • Logo with a blue geometric design resembling ascending bars and the word 'Ambient' in bold black letters.
  • A red circle with white text that reads 'AIA'.
  • Logo for AMS Industries, Inc. featuring a red and white striped circle with bold black and white text.
  • Graphic with Earth image and the text 'architecture 2030'.
  • Arrowstreet Architecture & Design logo with red and gray text on a white background.
  • Logo of ASHRAE with blue and green hexagonal outline.
  • Logo for Atelier Essex Architecture with stylized text and a thin rectangular border.
  • The image features the words 'atelier ten' with 'atelier' in dark blue and 'ten' in green, stylized in a handwritten font.
  • Logo for AMP Audit Master PRO with stylized text and colorful
  • Austin Energy logo with yellow lightning bolt surrounding an orange oval containing the white text 'AUSTIN ENERGY'.
  • A blue square with the words 'AYERS SAINT GROSS' in white capital letters, arranged in three lines with horizontal lines separating the words.
  • Bassetti Architects logo with text and a red vertical line.
  • The word BORA written in large black letters on a white background.
  • Logo for BrenchPattern featuring a stylized geometric plant or tree icon.
  • CambridgeSeven logo in red text
  • Logo of the Carbon Leadership Forum with large black and white text
  • Logo of the Center for the Built Environment (CBE) featuring a stylized image of a person's profile with rays emanating from their face, and the text 'CBE CENTER FOR THE BUILT ENVIRONMENT'.
  • Columbia logo with the slogan "We're with you" in light blue text.
  • Logo with the word 'COMMMTECH' next to a circular arrow symbol.
  • Cooper Carry logo with black and white abstract design
  • Cove.tools logo with a circular geometric icon on the left and the text 'cove.tool' on the right.
  • DMG logo with a circular geometric icon on the left and the text 'DMG' on the right, enclosed in a rectangular border.
  • EFFECTERRA logo with the tagline 'A Public Benefit Corporation' underneath.
  • Logo with three red squares above the text 'ELAINE CONSTRUCTION' in red.
  • The word 'enmead' in black lowercase letters on a light gray background.
  • Epic Cleantec logo with stylized blue icon and text in black and gray.
  • Text reading 'Eskew Dumez Ripple +' on a white background.
  • Yellow square with the word "Flad" in white text
  • The words 'GOODY CLANCY' in large, bold letters, with 'GOODY' in gray and 'CLANCY' in red.
  • Red text displaying the letters 'HKS' on a white background.
  • Logo for HMC Architects with the slogan 'Design for Good' highlighted in yellow
  • Logo with the letters 'IES' inside a square outline.
  • Logo for Inergy Building Solutions with the company name and a stylized icon of a drone or quadcopter.
  • Black square logo with white text reading "JLG architects".
  • Close-up of a black logo with three lowercase letters 'lmm' on a white background.
  • Logo with a green circular dot pattern and the word 'lorax' in lowercase letters.
  • Logo with the text 'Miller Hull' on two blue rectangles.
  • The word 'MITHÜN' spelled out in bold black letters on a white background.
  • Text reading 'MSRDesign' in black on a white background.
  • Muira logo with stylized mountain icon and lowercase letters
  • Logo of the New Buildings Institute with the lowercase letters 'nbi' in blue and the words 'new buildings institute' in gray.
  • Logo for Norman S. Wright Mechanical Equipment Corporation with blue building graphic and company name.
  • Logo with the text "One Click" and a green circular arrow surrounding the initials "LCA."
  • Blue text spelling 'opsis' on a white background.
  • Logo for The Passive House Network featuring abstract design and text.
  • Payette logo with black text inside a black rectangular border on a white background.
  • The word 'PHONONIC' with a circular graphic replacing the letter 'O', featuring segments in red and blue colors.
  • Logo for retech advisors, featuring stylized building shapes in orange and blue above the company name.
  • Re:Vision logo with a spiral design, and text listing services including green architecture, sustainability consulting, and community engagement.
  • Logo with a water pipe emitting a drop of water, and the text "SAFE PIPING MATTERS".
  • The word 'SERA' in white letters on an orange background.
  • Shook Kelley logo with stylized circular emblem next to company name
  • SVL logo with orange and blue swirl graphic and bold blue text
  • Logo of Swedish Punjab College of Engineering & Technology, featuring a shield with a large S and a banner, surrounded by a circular yellow border with the college name and founding year 1995.
  • Logo of Terralytiq with stylized green and black geometric design and the company name in bold black letters.
  • Logo of Technical Group Services, Inc. with a green stylized 'T' and 'D' icon
  • Logo for The Plant, with stylized text in navy blue and a red dot.
  • Trane Technologies logo with the company name in black and purple on a white background.
  • The word 'Turner' written in bold navy blue letters on a light gray background.
  • Logo of Urban Land Institute with green and gray design and text.
  • Verical Group logo with a black square containing white letters 'VG' and the words 'Vertical Group' to the right.
  • Logo for WAP Sustainability Consulting featuring a stylized green tree and text
  • Logo for WRNS Studio with stylized black and light gray text
  • Logo with large red letters ZGF and smaller text Zimmer Gunsul Frasca Architects LLP underneath.

Carbon Leadership Forum’s online community is a forum for discussing the MEP 2040 Commitment, and sharing questions, resources, and support.