About MEP and Carbon
Introducing MEP 2040
In January of 2021, a group of CLF members who are systems engineers and designers focused on Mechanical, Electrical and Plumbing (MEP) systems gathered to discuss how to galvanize MEP design firms and systems manufacturers to radically reduce embodied carbon in their projects and products. The group was inspired by the SE 2050 challenge from CLF calling for “all structural engineers to understand, reduce and ultimately eliminate embodied carbon in their projects by 2050.” Beginning in May, 2021, the MEP 2040 team met with CLF staff as an ongoing working group to develop a data-driven commitment for MEP engineering firms to work towards total life cycle decarbonization including embodied along with operational carbon. Recognizing the increased urgency of action, this team set 2040 as their target!
The MEP Commitment is now an independent initiative, led by the MEP 2040 Steering Committee, with the mission of dramatically reducing the embodied carbon emissions associated with MEP systems.
Why Does Embodied Carbon Matter for MEP?
Buildings generate the most global carbon emissions annually. Energy use makes up ~30% of annual global greenhouse gas emissions, while embodied carbon adds up to ~10%. Architecture 2030 challenges architects to design more energy efficient buildings, but the impacts of the systems installed can be significant. Mechanical equipment, delivery, refrigerants, and refrigerant leaks are commonly excluded from life-cycle analysis studies, so we don’t know the full extent of their impacts.
With a continually shortening timeline and increasing necessity to cut emissions, understanding where there is opportunity to minimize the impacts of MEP systems is critical. Achieving zero carbon requires gaining knowledge, then catalyzing change in our industry.
Terms of Reference
Life Cycle Assessment (LCA)
Life cycle assessment (LCA) is the industry methodology for assessing the environmental impacts (Global Warming Potential, Acidification Potential, Ozone Depletion Potential, etc) associated with the stages of the life cycle of commercial products. The first 3 stages (A1-A3), also known as cradle to gate, are generally the stages that a manufacturer can document via an Environmental Product Declaration: the extraction of raw materials (A1), transport to the manufacturer (A2) and the manufacturing of those products (A3).
Global Warming Potential (GWP)
What we as an AEC industry tend to refer to as Embodied Carbon is formally known as Global Warming Potential, measured in equivalent kilograms of carbon dioxide. This allows us to capture all of the compounds that contribute to global warming (CFCs, HCFCs, Methane) and relate them back to their relative potency in kgCO2e. For example, 1 kg of CFC-12 is equivalent to 10,200 kgCO2e.
Environmental Product Declaration (EPD)
Environmental Product Declarations are independently verified documents that communicate the environmental impacts (global warming potential, acidification potential, ozone depletion potential, etc) of manufactured products.
MEP Life Cycle Assessment
Life Cycle Assessment scope is generally broken into scopes of: Enclosures, Foundations and Structures per certification (LEED, LBC and CLF) standards. However, it is important that we not limit ourselves to those areas of study, since the impact of MEP remains to be seen in full- considering that most manufacturers of MEP products have yet to produce Environmental Product Declarations. While we are busy asking our manufacturers for EPDs, we can measure the impact of low global warming potential refrigerants and start to understand the impact of our routing between equipment (pipes, ducts, conduit, cable tray.)
Getting to Zero
Meeting the zero target for carbon emissions will require attention to all aspects of the design and construction of a building, including action to decarbonize both operational carbon (energy-related emissions) and embodied carbon stemming from the manufacture and transportation of materials and building systems.
The AIA 2030 Commitment is a commitment and reporting program for architects. SE 2050 is a similar program for structural engineers. MEP 2040 is the commitment program for building systems engineers. The chart above illustrates the respective contributions of all three to a comprehensive carbon solution.
Better buildings for a better planet
The Carbon Leadership Forum issued the MEP 2040 Challenge that sparked the independent MEP 2040 Commitment now attracting the support of MEP firms. CLF accelerates the transformation of the building sector to radically reduce the embodied carbon in building materials and construction through collective action.
CLF pioneers research, create resources, foster cross-collaboration, and incubate member-led initiatives to bring embodied carbon emissions of buildings down to zero.
CLF members are architects, engineers, contractors, material suppliers, building owners, and policymakers who care about the future and are taking bold steps to decarbonize the built environment, with a keen focus on eliminating embodied carbon from buildings and infrastructure.
The CLF Mission
The CLF mission is to eliminate embodied carbon in buildings and infrastructure by inspiring innovation through collective action to create a just and thriving future.
