“MEP 2040 CHALLENGE”
The MEP2040 Challenge asks for systems engineers to rise to the occasion in advocating for and ultimately achieving net zero carbon in their projects. This challenge is being hosted by Carbon Leadership Forum – one of the most trusted bodies in providing knowledge for decarbonizing the built environment. Within the AEC industry, similar commitments have arisen around architecture (Architecture 2030) and structural engineering (SE 2050), allowing these groups to work together to understand and enable change regarding their climate impact. The goal of this collective is to create similar levels of awareness, knowledge, and momentum regarding the most pressing areas for improvement in MEP systems regarding their operational and embodied carbon impacts.
Signatory firms are asked to meet four foundational criteria: establish a company plan to reduce operational and embodied carbon across MEP systems on their projects, request low global warming potential refrigerants (https://www.refrigerantimpact.org), request Environmental Product Declarations for MEP specified products, and participate in a growing body of knowledge via quarterly forums and working groups.
“CURRICULUM VITAE”
Kayleigh Houde is a mechanical engineer working at the intersection of computation, sustainability and design as the global Computational Community Leader for Buro Happold.
Her portfolio includes system design for high rise residential (25 Park Row) and higher education facilities (Columbia’s Graduate School of Business). Houde’s strong interest in computational design led to her current role and has taken her to on a global journey with the goal of supercharging her colleague’s workflows with the power of computation via both visual programming and coding.
Her industry contributions include speaking engagements like Engineering News Record Future Tech, AEC Tech and Autodesk University, being a recipient of the AIA 2020 TAP Innovation Award for her team’s open-source Life Cycle Assessment Toolkit, co-chairing the steering committee for Carbon Leadership Forum’s MEP2040 Challenge, Common Materials Framework content advisory board member, and ASHRAE Building Decarbonization Task Force group member. Houde is also a part-time faculty member at the University of Pennsylvania, where she teaches Parametric Life Cycle Assessment for Buildings at the graduate school of architecture