Evaluating the Climate Impacts of Projects Through BIM and Related Platforms

The ASLA Climate & Biodiversity Action Committee has released a new resource for landscape architects:

Evaluating the Climate Impacts of Projects Through BIM and Related Platforms

Guidelines for Project Performance Data Takeoff

The guidelines were written by:

• Radu Dicher, ASLA, LFA, Firmwide BIM Manager, SWA Group
• Eric Gilbey, ASLA, PLA, Senior Product Marketing Manager, Vectorworks
• Matt Perotto, ASLA, OALA, CSLA, Senior Associate, Janet Rosenberg & Studio

“Clearly quantifying the carbon footprints of projects based on objective data is the best way to reduce greenhouse gas emissions,” said Radu Dicher, ASLA, SWA.

This resource provides high-level direction on how to use a variety of typical BIM and “BIM-proxy” tools to evaluate the impacts of embodied carbon in projects. And in a more general sense, it presents methodologies for executing “quantity takeoffs” from projects.

The guidelines provide options for different phases of the project lifecycle – from concept, schematic design, design development, to construction documentation. It outlines ways in which project data can provide outputs for embodied carbon assessments.

It also provides guidance for multiple BIM platforms, including workflows for Revit and Vectorworks, and covers “BIM-proxy” environments, such as Rhino.