Towards Zero Carbon: Developing a Roadmap for the Structural
Engineering Profession and the Structural Engineering Institute, ASCE
Northeastern University, Boston, Massachusetts
July 22-24, 2024
Monday, July 22, 2024
5:30 p.m. Opening Reception, 17th Floor, East Village
Tuesday, July 23, 2024
7:30 a.m. Morning Networking and Breakfast, Interdisciplinary Science and Engineering Complex (ISEC), Lobby
8:30 Opening Remarks, Interdisciplinary Science and Engineering Complex, Room 102 ISEC Auditorium
- Jerome F. Hajjar, CDM Smith Professor, University Distinguished Professor, and Department Chair, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Northeastern University, and President, Structural Engineering Institute
- Jennifer Goupil, Managing Director, Structural Engineering Institute
8:45 The Honorable Brendan Owens, Assistant Secretary of Defense for Energy, Installations, and Environment Chief Sustainability Officer, Department of Defense
9:10 Jude Abel, Senior Manager, Sustainability and Innovation, Deloitte LLP
Presentation: Collective Action for Zero Embodied Carbon
9:30 Lance Davis, Sustainability Architect and Standards Expert, Federal Agency
Presentation: Federal Government’s Move to Decarbonization
9:50 Torey Brooks, Embodied Carbon Expert, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Presentation: Federal Buy Clean and Its Role on Embodied Carbon in the Future
10:10 Matthew Eckelman, Associate Professor, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Northeastern University
Presentation: Sustainability, Speed, and Scale of Technologies for Low-Carbon Resource Extraction and Processing
10:30 Break and PHOTO
11:00 Kena David, Director of Sustainability, Consigli
Presentation: Driving Down Carbon: A Contractor’s Perspective on Embodied Carbon Reduction Trends
11:20 Panel Discussion
- Moderator: Benjamin W. Schafer, Willard and Lillian Hackerman Professor of Civil and Systems Engineering, Department of Civil and Systems Engineering, Johns Hopkins University
- Brandon Williams, Product Success Manager at Sublime
Presentation: Solving Cement Decarbonization with a Focus on Performance, Not Prescription
- Max Puchtel, Director of Sustainability and Governmental Relations, American Institute of Steel Construction
Presentation: : The Structural Engineer’s Role in Steel Decarbonization
- Jennifer Shakun, Bioeconomy Initiative Director, New England Forestry Foundation
Presentation: : Perspectives on the Role of Wood in Low-Carbon Construction
12:30 p.m. Lunch
1:30 Breakout Sessions, Interdisciplinary Science and Engineering Complex, Room 102 ISEC Auditorium
- Jerome F. Hajjar, CDM Smith Professor, University Distinguished Professor, and Department Chair, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Northeastern University, and President, Structural Engineering Institute: Charge the Breakouts
1:45 Breakout Sessions, Interdisciplinary Science and Engineering Complex and EXP
A. Resource Extraction, Materials Processing, Fabrication – Room 136 ISEC
- Moderator: Benjamin W. Schafer, Willard and Lillian Hackerman Professor of Civil and Systems Engineering, Department of Civil and Systems Engineering, Johns Hopkins University
- Recorder: Emily Lorenz, Principal Engineer, Independent Consultant
B. Architectural and Engineering Design – Room 102 ISEC Auditorium
- Moderator: Michael Gryniuk, Founder and Principal, Cora Structural
- Recorder: Suzanne Robinson, Associate Principal, LeMessurier Associates
C. Life Cycle Assessment, Databases, and Software – Room 138 ISEC
- Moderator: Matthew Eckelman, Associate Professor, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Northeastern University
- Recorder: Demi Fang, Assistant Professor, School of Architecture, Northeastern University
D. Construction and Deconstruction – Room 140 ISEC
- Moderator: Mark Webster, Senior Consulting Engineering, Simpson Gumpertz & Heger, Inc.
- Recorder: Erika Winters-Downey, Associate Principal and Director – Sustainable Structures, Lamar Johnson Collaborative
E. Policy, Advocacy, and the Public – Room 142 ISEC
- Moderator: Elaina Sutley, Associate Dean for Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging, School of Engineering, and Associate Professor, Department of Civil, Environmental, and Architectural Engineering, University of Kansas
- Recorder: Luke Lombardi, Senior Sustainability Consultant, Buro Happold
F. Education – Room 610A EXP
- Moderator: Jay Arehart, Assistant Teaching Professor, Department of Civil, Environmental, and Architectural Engineering, University of Colorado
- Recorder: Andrew Myers, Professor and Associate Chair for Graduate studies, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Northeastern University
Breakout Session Questions:
- What are key initiatives required to drive us towards zero carbon in structural engineering: research, practice, education?
- How are professional organizations such as SEI best able to advance towards zero carbon in structural engineering?
3:15 Break
3:45 Breakout Session Reports, Interdisciplinary Science and Engineering Complex, Room 102 ISEC Auditorium
4:15 Discussion
5:00 Adjourn
Reception and Banquet
6:00 Reception , 17th Floor, East Village
7:00 Banquet, 17th Floor, East Village
Wednesday, July 24, 2024
7:30 a.m. Morning Networking and Breakfast, Interdisciplinary Science and Engineering Complex (ISEC), Lobby
8:00 Breakout Sessions, Interdisciplinary Science and Engineering Complex, Room 102 ISEC Auditorium
- Jerome F. Hajjar: Charge the Breakouts, CDM Smith Professor, University Distinguished Professor, and Department Chair, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Northeastern University, and President, Structural Engineering Institute
8:15 Breakout Sessions: Prioritizing Session, Interdisciplinary Science and Engineering Complex and EXP
- What are key initiatives required to drive us towards zero carbon in structural engineering: research, practice, education?
- How are professional organizations such as SEI best able to advance towards zero carbon in structural engineering?
- Resource Extraction, Materials Processing, Fabrication – Room 136 ISEC
- Architectural and Engineering Design – Room 102 ISEC Auditorium
- Life Cycle Assessment, Databases, and Software – Room 138 ISEC
- Construction and Deconstruction – Room 140 ISEC
- Policy, Advocacy, and the Public – Room 142 ISEC
- Education – Room 610A EXP
9:15 Break
9:45 Breakout Session Reports, Interdisciplinary Science and Engineering Complex, Room 102 ISEC Auditorium
10:15 Prioritization (Voting!)
10:30 Break
10:45 Moderated Discussion with Breakout Session Moderators and Recorders
11:45 Closing Remarks
- Jennifer Goupil, Managing Director, Structural Engineering Institute
- Jerome F. Hajjar, CDM Smith Professor, University Distinguished Professor, and Department Chair, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Northeastern University, and President, Structural Engineering Institute
12:00 Adjourn