NOW : The upfront carbon façade materials guide
— we need to make better choices, and this guide provides a path.
w/ SvN, 2024-25
Typology | Research
Team | SvN, Ha/f Climate Design, Lukachko Climate Strategies, University of Toronto, Builders for Climate Action, Moriyama Teshima Architects, MJMA, Arup, DIALOG
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Architecture plays a pivotal role in addressing the climate crisis, and the materials we choose—particularly early in the design process—carry lasting impact. The Upfront Carbon Façade Materials Guide was developed by SvN as a practical tool for design teams working on larger-scale buildings in Ontario, helping to foreground upfront carbon emissions as a key criterion in façade material selection.
Facades are a major driver of both upfront and operational emissions—the guide highlights the significant impact of product-stage (A1–A3) carbon: emissions from material extraction, transport, and manufacturing. These early-stage emissions are both immediate and substantial, often representing 60–80% of a material’s total embodied carbon, and are where architects have the most agency to drive change.
By focusing on OBC Part 3 buildings—including multi-unit residential, institutional, and commercial typologies—this guide supports projects that contribute to urban density, vibrancy, and climate-conscious development. By rooting itself in Ontario’s regulatory, material, and climatic context, the catalogue prioritizes regionally-available products to reduce transportation emissions, support circular markets, and improve transparency around sourcing and labour.
Through side-by-side comparisons and strategic insights, this guide empowers designers to make more responsible choices. While the emphasis is on carbon emissions, materials are also assessed through a broader lens—discouraging petroleum-based, harmful products and encouraging low-carbon, bio- and geo-based alternatives. This is not a comprehensive solution, but a starting point. The guide intentionally simplifies complex decisions to spark deeper, project-specific conversations about the trade-offs and priorities that define truly sustainable material selection.
Shifting industry norms is no small task—but it’s essential. The Upfront Carbon Façade Materials Guide offers a clear, actionable step toward lower-impact design, when it matters most.
With gratitude to the following individuals for their valuable guidance and input:
Ha/f Climate Design
Lukachko Climate Strategies, University of Toronto
Builders for Climate Action
Moriyama Teshima Architects
MJMA
Arup
DIALOG
Related: Bio-Build Gallery
"Building with Natural Materials” is curated by SvN and KPMB in collaboration with the Toronto BioBuild Collective, with contributions from Zachary Mollica, Ha/f Climate Design, Étienne Issa, and Krista Ross.
