Carbon Footprint

Lowering the Carbon Impacts of Concrete

Lowering the Carbon Impacts of Concrete

As we’ve noted previously on this blog, climate action in the building industry had been focused, appropriately, on reducing the operational carbon of our buildings through efficiency and renewable energy. However, science and recent number-crunching indicates we must shift more attention to reducing the embodied carbon of our buildings as well. That’s the carbon emissions related to extracting, producing, and transporting building materials, and the biggest contributor is concrete.

That doesn’t mean we can, or even would want to, eliminate concrete, but we can be more strategic to lower the carbon emissions.

Retrofitting for Net Zero - How Much PV Do I Need?

Retrofitting for Net Zero - How Much PV Do I Need?

Like many on the Central Coast, our home uses a mix of fuels to heat and cool the air, heat water and cook food. The energy efficiency “bones” of the building are sound - having completed a gut remodel of the 50-yr old structure a decade ago, so our electricity costs have generally been low. Too low to make installing solar PV cost effective.

Changes in Incentives for Multifamily Affordable Housing

Changes in Incentives for Multifamily Affordable Housing

At In Balance, we often work with our affordable multifamily housing clients on ways to help them qualify for a variety of tax credits from both state and federal government programs. One in particular, the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit Program (LIHTC) provides incentives that help fund affordable rental housing developments for low-income Californians. It is governed by the California Tax Credit Allocation Committee (CTCAC) and includes incentives for incorporating sustainable building practices in multifamily housing projects.