MCAN: Balancing Building Reuse vs New Housing Development

Summary: Mass Climate Action Network's webinar on sustainability and embodied carbon

When: Jan 02, 2027

Time:02:00 - 03:00

Description

On December 21, 2025, the Mass Climate Action Network hosted a webinar discussing factors at play when considering balancing building reuse and new housing development. Many of us are familiar with the concept of energy usage and efficiency for our homes, our personal carbon footprint, and the carbon usage of different fuel sources for residences. Fewer of us are familiar with concepts like embeded carbon. We might wonder: "Is it better to build new, energy efficient buildings or to modify the inefficient, older homes that already exist?" In this webinar, available to view on YouTube, David Mendels demonstrates his innovative carbon calculator, which factors in items like embodied carbon, payback periods, and all-electric development when considering exactly that question. MCAN described this session as "Perfect for climate advocates, housing professionals, or anyone building a zero-carbon future."