Embodied Carbon 101: Real Infrastructure Projects + a Design Decision Game
Embodied carbon is quickly becoming a core design and procurement consideration for infrastructure, but many practitioners are still unsure where to start. This 2‑hour, introductory‑level event begins with a Keynote Address by Anthony Kane, President & CEO of ISI, followed by a one‑hour panel discussion demystifying embodied carbon and sharing concrete examples from real projects, featuring:
· Cierra Ford, Transportation Engineer, VHB
· Paul Pedini, Senior VP, Skanska USA Civil Northeast
· Dr. Nancy Varney, Associate Teaching Professor, Civil and Environmental Engineering at Northeastern University
· Tom O’Neil, Office of Sustainability, City of Cambridge
· Coleman Horsley, Senior Project Engineer, Nitsch Engineering
In the second hour, you’ll join an interactive “design decision” game where teams work through common bridge design decisions—selecting beam types, span configurations, and material options for a virtual project—and immediately see how each decision changes embodied carbon, cost, and construction schedule. You’ll leave with a clear understanding of why embodied carbon matters, which levers are most effective, and how to start making better, lower-carbon decisions on your own projects without needing to be a sustainability specialist. The game and discussion will be facilitated by:
· Ken Donald, Project Manager and Carbon Reduction Lead, VHB
· Kevin McGeggan, Director of Construction Engineering, SMK Services, Inc.
Full Agenda:
9:45 a.m. Welcome
10:00 a.m. Keynote Address
10:15 a.m. Panel Discussion
11:00 a.m. Design Decision Game
11:45 a.m. Coffee & Snacks
Attendee Takeaways:
· What embodied carbon is, and why it matters for all civil engineering projects.
· How everyday bridge design choices (beam type, span length/layout, material mix design) affect embodied carbon, cost, and construction duration, often in non-obvious ways.
· A short list of “doable now” strategies to reduce embodied carbon while meeting codes, maintaining safety, and staying within budget and schedule.
· Why cross-team collaboration matters—and how engineers, contractors, academics, and municipal climate leaders can align procurement, specifications, and construction methods to enable lower-carbon solutions.
· How to recognize tradeoffs and ask smarter questions that lead to lower-carbon, cost-effective, buildable designs—without being a sustainability expert—and apply those skills immediately in your role.
Keynote Speaker Bio:
Anthony Kane is President & CEO of the Institute for Sustainable Infrastructure (ISI), a Washington, DC-based nonprofit advancing sustainable, resilient, and equitable infrastructure through the Envision Sustainable Infrastructure Framework. Envision is a holistic system that guides and assesses the sustainability and resilience of all types of infrastructure. Under his leadership, ISI supports thousands of professionals and oversees billions of dollars in verified infrastructure projects worldwide. Anthony directs ISI’s strategic vision, guides Envision development, and represents ISI on key national and global advisory groups.
Previously, Anthony directed research at the Zofnass Program for Sustainable Infrastructure at Harvard University, where he co-led development of the initial version of Envision (v2). He later oversaw the release of Envision v3 as ISI’s VP of Research and Development and Managing Director.
He holds a Master in Design Studies from Harvard University’s Graduate School of Design and a Bachelor of Architecture from Virginia Tech. Anthony serves as a commissioner on the DC Commission on Climate Change and Resiliency and participates in international coalitions focused on sustainable infrastructure.
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