What’s happening

We are making exciting transitions that will allow us to accelerate our work with industry leaders and policymakers to radically reduce the greenhouse gas emissions attributed to buildings and infrastructure.

We are expanding our influence and impact by creating two entities:

• The Carbon Leadership Forum is becoming an independent nonprofit organization to double down on our urgent research, education, and cross-sector collaboration that drives the data, tools, and policy changes needed to eliminate embodied carbon from buildings and infrastructure. The organization will be led by Anthony Hickling as CLF’s new executive director and Meghan Lewis as CLF’s new program director. Kate Simonen will serve as the board chair of the new nonprofit organization.
• At the same time, Kate will maintain an academic research group at the University of Washington College of Built Environments under a newly named Life Cycle Lab to lead embodied carbon and life cycle assessment research that informs policy and practice. We are grateful for our long-standing relationship with the University of Washington and are excited about our ongoing and evolving partnership.

Together, the Carbon Leadership Forum and Life Cycle Lab will work collaboratively to achieve our vision of a transformed, decarbonized building industry — creating better buildings for a better planet.

Why

Buildings already contribute around 40% of energy related greenhouse gas emissions across the globe. Given the urgency of the climate crisis, it’s critical we act with boldness and determination to reduce embodied carbon of buildings and infrastructure — the carbon emissions associated with materials, design, and construction practices.

These organizational changes will enable both entities to be more effective, efficient, and impactful in advancing research, cross-sector collaboration, and scaled action to bring embodied carbon emissions down to zero. Now, they both will be able to focus on, scale up, and sustain the work in new and innovative ways.

This new structure will give the Carbon Leadership Forum greater latitude to scale our work by leading new projects, raising funds, and supporting a growing community of embodied carbon leaders.

Backed by the UW, the Life Cycle Lab will be able to support the next generation of researchers and pursue critical embodied carbon research with an increased focus on academic publications. The Life Cycle Lab will also remain a strong, collaborative partner with the Carbon Leadership Forum.

We believe both entities will allow us to capitalize on unprecedented, time-sensitive opportunities to support the speed of decarbonization required to meet global climate goals.

Our commitment

You can expect us to bring the same, if not more, drive and energy to radically reduce embodied carbon from the building sector.

This transition is about growth, not downsizing. All current staff will have a home, either at the Carbon Leadership Forum or at the Life Cycle Lab at the UW.

Addressing the climate crisis is relational work and will require all of us working collaboratively. We remain committed to the invaluable partnerships we hold with so many of you, and look forward to continuing to engage with you through both the Carbon Leadership Forum and the Life Cycle Lab.

We anticipate making this transition over time. We launched the new independent Carbon Leadership Forum nonprofit organization in April 2024. Both entities will continue to collaborate over the coming year and beyond to determine long-term staffing and work distribution.

FAQs