NY Designs and NYSERDA are currently working on the NYSERDA Embedded Energy Calculator, which allows designers to evaluate the embedded energy of materials used on a project.   

Benefits

This tool will be useful for industrial designers, product designers, architects, and the general public.  Once you see the amount of energy expended in the harvesting, manufacture, transportation, and assembly of a product, you will understand the importance of material selection in reducing your product’s carbon footprint.

How It Works

The calculator draws on the default energy usage information of seven basic materials (concrete, plastic, fiber, metals, wood, masonry, and glass). This energy consumption is broken into several stages, from harvesting the raw material -- for example, clay for brick, iron for steel, or sand for glass -- to the final phase of operating a construction site for a building or a manufacturing facility for a product.

Results

Once the embedded energy is calculated, you will be provided with alternatives for the default materials and suggestions about how to source materials with a lower environmental impact. 

Availability

NY Designs is proud to offer the NYSERDA Embedded Energy Calculator, which will launch by the end of 2009. It will help raise awareness about the importance of being conscientious of the impact materials have on the sustainability of a new product.