HOK has joined the MEP 2040 Challenge, an effort organized by the Carbon Leadership Forum to eliminate embodied carbon in mechanical, electrical and plumbing (MEP) building systems by 2040.
This commitment bolsters HOK’s benchmarking, annual project reductions and reporting already underway through the firm’s involvement with the AIA2030 Commitment and the SE2050 Challenge.
Inspired by the SE2050 Challenge, the Carbon Leadership Forum issued the MEP 2040 Challenge to develop a data-driven commitment to achieve lifecycle decarbonization for mechanical, electrical and plumbing (MEP) design and manufacturing firms. The challenge acknowledges the role building systems engineers play and recognizes the urgency in reducing both the operational and embodied carbon of MEP systems, which include mechanical equipment, equipment sourcing and delivery and refrigerants. The program is made up of four action areas: education, reporting, carbon reduction strategies and advocacy.
In addition to delivering large-scale net-zero operational energy buildings, HOK’s engineering practice also works with consultants and manufacturers to provide low Global Warming Potential (GWP) refrigerants and environmental product declarations (EPDs) for MEP system components, efforts which aid in achieving more sustainable projects and products.
“The MEP 2040 Challenge will allow us to deepen our collaboration with other disciplines to achieve carbon-neutrality across all our projects,” said Jan Santos, a senior project engineer at HOK and the firm’s MEP 2040 Challenge champion. “Setting embodied carbon targets for building systems is a new and welcome challenge for our profession and HOK looks forward to being a leader.”
While the MEP 2040 Challenge is geared toward building systems engineers, the Carbon Leadership Forum develops resources that can help all project team members understand and reduce life-cycle carbon. These include structural embodied carbon benchmarking studies, US carbon policy guides and activism, and technical support via discussion forums.