Beyond R-Value: The Future of Low‑Carbon Building
Beyond R-Value: The Future of Low‑Carbon Building
How can insulation choices turn buildings from a climate problem into a climate solution? In this Beyond R‑Value session, we’ll sit down with Jacob Deva Racusin (New Frameworks, Builders for Climate Action) and Chris Magwood (RMI, Builders for Climate Action) to talk about embodied carbon, biobased materials, and what TimberHP’s new TimberBatt Environmental Product Declaration (EPD) means for real projects. TimberBatt’s third‑party verified EPD confirms it is a net carbon‑storing insulation material, storing more carbon than it emits over its life cycle, thanks to wood fiber feedstock, renewable electricity, and long‑term in‑building carbon storage.
Jacob and Chris will share lessons from work with the BEAM estimator and RESNET’s emerging Standard 1550 for embodied carbon in homes, and show how product‑specific EPDs unlock more accurate modeling and better design decisions. We’ll explore how switching from conventional mineral wool to TimberBatt can avoid hundreds of tons of upfront embodied carbon on a single multifamily project, while still meeting performance, fire, and cost expectations. Whether you’re a designer, builder, rater, or policymaker, you’ll come away with practical strategies for using carbon‑storing materials, transparent data, and simple specification changes to cut emissions now.
Speakers
Jacob Deva Racusin – New Frameworks, Builders for Climate Action
Chris Magwood – RMI, Builders for Climate Action
Moderator & Host:
Jason Todd, Director of Building Science & Industry Support
Claire Donnelly, Digital Marketing Consultant