BC Embodied Carbon Awards

Please complete this form to apply for the CLF BC Embodied Carbon awards.

There is no cost to apply. 

Multiple projects can be submitted from one organization or individual. Organizations may submit the same project to more than one of the categories, but may only submit one application per category.

Once the application has been received, applicants will be contacted via email to confirm receipt. During the review process, CLF BC or the lead adjudicators may reach out if additional information is needed. CLF BC may also contact applicants to provide images for use in the awards night presentation and promotional material. All the winners will be featured on the CLF BC website and may be featured in other promotional media. 

Of note: For applicable categories, carbon sequestration may be included in module D but must be reported separately. Please note that BEAM accounts for carbon storage in products that contain biogenic materials sourced from agricultural or forestry residues and recycling streams, but does not include sequestration for virgin forestry products, or other materials (such as concrete carbonation).

This award category is for organizations that have shown exemplary commitment to change in their pursuit to reduce the embodied carbon of the built environment. The applicant must be based in BC (or have an office in BC) with demonstrated impact in BC.

What are we judging:

• Scale of Impact: What is the breadth of work, size of audience, and scale of measurable impact of this organization?
• Leadership: How has this organizations' work advanced general knowledge and awareness of embodied carbon in BC?
• Embodied Carbon Reduction: Is there any measurable change that you can provide to demonstrate the impact of your organization?

This award category is for BC-based local governments, regional districts, public sector organizations, or not-for-profits that have shown exemplary leadership in their pursuit to reduce the embodied carbon in the built environment.

What are we judging:

• Scale of Impact: What is the breadth of work, size of audience, and scale of impact of this public body?
• Leadership: How has the work of this public body advanced general knowledge and awareness of embodied carbon?
• Embodied Carbon Reduction: How does this public body contribute to wholesale reductions in embodied carbon in the near-term and long-term?

This category is for exceptional initiatives and projects that embrace and tangibly advance circularity or circular concepts within the BC building sector. The applicant must be based in BC (or have an office in BC) with demonstrated impact in BC.

What are we judging:

• Scope of Project: How has this organization or project embraced circularity?
• Embodied Carbon Reduction: What evidence does this organization or project provide to demonstrate the emission reduction impact via the advancement of circularity?
• Leadership: How has this organization or project demonstrated leadership in their pursuit of circularity?

Large Buildings:

This award category is for large new developments or a substantial renovation in a large building. The building(s) must be considered a Part 3 building by the municipality or permitting authority. The project must demonstrate excellence in low embodied carbon design and construction and must be in BC. 

Small Buildings:

This award category is for small new developments or a substantial renovation on small building such as a single-family home or laneway home. The building(s) must be considered a Part 9 building by the municipality or permitting authority. The project must demonstrate excellence in low embodied carbon design and construction and must be in BC.

Application Requirements (for both categories):

• Applicants for large (Part 3) projects must submit results from a whole building LCA (wbLCA). Applicants for small (Part 9) projects must submit upfront A1-A3 embodied carbon calculations (e.g., BEAM, PHribbon, etc.), with preference for projects that have completed a wbLCA. All projects must include all structural and building envelope components at a minimum and assume a 60-year lifespan. The LCA should be carried out on construction information drawings, but projects do not need to be completed (constructed) at the time of application. Preference will be given to projects closer to completion with an LCA or upfront A1-A3 embodied carbon calculation that is most representative of this stage.
• For renovations, applicants must demonstrate that the renovation was chosen in lieu of new construction as a strategy to reduce embodied carbon and how the embodied carbon reductions compare to typical renovation practices. If possible, applicants should also provide separate results for core and shell apart from the overall building to help compare renovation projects to new builds.

What are we judging (for both categories):

• Embodied Carbon Reduction: Can this project demonstrate significant embodied carbon reductions?
• Holistic Approach: Does this project apply a holistic approach to sustainability and innovation in design (e.g., resilience, operational emissions, etc.), in addition to embodied carbon reductions? Can this project demonstrate low or no cost embodied carbon solutions?
• Scope of Project: Has this project expanded the study scope in either materiality (e.g., interiors included) or in life-cycle stages (e.g., B-stage use, C-stage end-of-life, or D-stage beyond)?

Not all items in this list are mandatory, but this list will assist our understanding of the LCA and allow the judges to compare projects that have assumed different scopes. 

If carbon sequestration is included, please outline the calculation assumptions and include total embodied carbon with and without carbon sequestration here.

This award category is for an individual from the building sector who has demonstrated exemplary leadership in reducing embodied carbon in the built environment. This is a nomination-based award, and the nominee must be based in BC and have had a demonstrated impact in BC.

What are we judging:

• Knowledge Advancement: How has this individual increased overall understanding and awareness of embodied carbon in the building sector in BC and beyond?
• Scale of Impact: What is the scale of impact of this individual and their work? Think about the reach and significance of their contributions to reducing embodied carbon in the built environment.
• Inspirational Action: What specific actions stand out and have the potential to motivate others to follow suit in addressing embodied carbon challenges? Reflect on the specific steps taken by this individual that have left a lasting impression.

Of note: Do not nominate someone from your own organization. However, you are welcome to nominate someone you have collaborated with on projects or worked with in the past, even if they were part of the same organization at that time.