Episode #73: Two Numbers – Chris Magwood, RMI

Episode #73: Two Numbers – Chris Magwood, RMI

From Fenestration Conversations by Fenestration Review

August 1, 2025 · 1h 16m · Episode 75

About this episode

Chris Magwood discusses the One Number approach to sustainable building regulation and the importance of evaluating embodied carbon separately from operational carbon.

Chris Magwood of the Rocky Mountain Institute joins the podcast to discuss the One Number approach to sustainable building regulation…and he has some objections. While a performance-based approach aimed at regulating the whole-life carbon impact of a construction project should be our ultimate goal, Magwood feels the upfront impact of embodied carbon needs to be evaluated separately, but adjacent to, the long-term impact of operational carbon. Listen now to find out why, and for Magwood’s assessment of where we are in being able to do the carbon impact modelling we will need to meet the future sustainable building regulations under discussion today.

People in this episode

Guest: Chris Magwood

Topics covered

  • sustainable building regulation
  • carbon impact
  • embodied carbon
  • operational carbon
  • performance-based approach

Keywords

  • sustainable building
  • carbon impact modelling
  • embodied carbon
  • operational carbon
  • construction regulation

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Rocky Mountain Institute

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