Why I built it
I started this project after seeing local debates about housing and demolition reduce the climate question to the upfront carbon in a new building or the familiar line that “the greenest building is the one already built.” Upfront carbon matters. But that framing leaves out time, how the buildings operate, where additional households would otherwise live, and how location affects driving.
The calculator puts the main terms into one comparison: upfront construction, building operations in both cases, substitute housing, transportation, and a changing electric grid. Its purpose is to make the assumptions visible so people can examine the same comparison instead of talking past one another.
The Technical Methods publishes the equations, major assumptions, and sources behind the calculator so readers can assess the analysis for themselves.
Project leadership
This project was led by David Mendels, a Town Meeting Member in Brookline, Massachusetts. David is a co-founder of ZeroCarbonMA. It is an independent project and is not an official publication of ZeroCarbonMA nor Brookline Town Meeting.
David has a background in the software industry, including Macromedia, Adobe, Brightcove, and 3Play Media. He now spends most of his time on nonprofit work with ZeroCarbonMA, Our Generation Speaks, and Resilient Coders.
View David's LinkedIn profile.
AI assistance
The calculator and supporting documentation were developed with AI assistance, primarily using OpenAI’s ChatGPT and Codex.
Questions and feedback
Questions or feedback? Send a note.