Navigating Embodied and Operational Carbon Implications of Lighting Designs Across the U.S.
Alp Durmus, Penn State University | Kieren McCord, Brigham Young University
Virtual
Friday, April 9, 2027
2:45 pm – 3:45 pm ET
Credits TBA
Intermediate
Most lighting Life Cycle Assessments (LCA) focus on individual luminaires, ignoring the complexity of holistic architectural designs. Furthermore, the massive impact of geographic location on operational carbon is rarely analyzed for lighting designs in the U.S. context. This session explores the environmental footprint of complete lighting systems across school, office, and residential typologies. By comparing identical designs across average grid mixes for each of the 50 U.S. states, attendees will discover how regional energy mixes drastically shift the balance between operational energy and embodied carbon. Join us to learn how to leverage EPDs and make location-aware, climate-positive design decisions.
A basic understanding of lighting terminology (e.g., power density, luminous flux) and general sustainability concepts in the built environment is recommended.
Learning Objectives
- Evaluate how regional U.S. electrical grids impact the operational carbon footprint of holistic architectural lighting designs.
- Identify the primary manufacturing stages that contribute most significantly to a luminaire’s embodied carbon footprint using Environmental Product Declarations.
- Compare the life cycle environmental impacts of complete lighting systems in schools, offices, and residential buildings to inform sustainable specifications.
- Formulate location-aware design strategies that balance luminous efficacy with material reduction to minimize total life cycle carbon emissions.
Speakers
Alp Durmus
Associate Professor
Penn State University
Alp Durmus is an associate professor in the Department of Architectural Engineering at the Pennsylvania State University. He teaches architectural lighting design, computer-aided design, human factors, and color science. His research interests include colorimetry, visual perception, next-generation lighting systems, human factors, energy efficiency, light pollution, sustainability, life cycle assessment, image statistics, psychophysics, and health impacts of optical radiation.
Kieren McCord
Assistant Professor
Brigham Young University
Dr. Kieren H. McCord is an Assistant Professor of Civil & Construction Engineering at Brigham Young University, where she leads research on acoustics, sustainability, and the indoor environment while teaching Sustainable Design & Architecture and Construction Estimating. Dr. McCord earned her PhD in Construction Management from Arizona State University, where her dissertation examined augmented reality applications in construction education, and previously completed graduate work in Architectural Engineering-Acoustics at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. Her undergraduate was at BYU studying music, physics, and math. As a Building Research Scientist at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, she founded a building acoustics laboratory, led whole-building life cycle assessment research for a DOE-funded circular home project, and developed workflows for quantifying the non-energy benefits of residential energy efficiency upgrades. Beyond her research, she has volunteered with Habitat for Humanity and other construction and environmental service projects across Utah, Nebraska, Virginia, and Arizona.