DESIGNING OUT CARBON: MATERIAL SUBSTIUTION STRATEGIES FOR A UNIVERSITY OF OREGON DORMITORY

This thesis examines how material substitution strategies can meaningfully reduce the embodied carbon footprint of university dormitory construction, using Unthank Hall at the University of Oregon as a case study. The primary research question guiding this study is: to what extent can targeted material substitution reduce a building’s embodied carbon emissions without altering design or structure? Despite growing awareness of embodied carbon as a critical driver of building-related emissions, the construction industry has been slow to adopt lower-carbon alternatives. This thesis identified the ten materials responsible for 78% of Unthank Hall’s total embodied global warming potential, evaluates commercially available lower-carbon alternatives supported by Environmental Product Declarations, and models the emissions reductions achievable through substitution. The findings demonstrate that replacing just ten materials yields an approximately 43% reduction in total building embodied carbo, achieved just through material selection. This thesis aims to illustrate that meaningful decarbonization is already possible using existing products.

Grantor dc:publisher

University of Oregon

Year dc:date.issued

2026

Author dc:creator

• Clark, Grace

Advisor dc:contributor.advisor

• Moore, Emily

• Building Materials
• Sustainability
• Carbon Intensity
• Lower-Carbon
• Construction

Statement dc:rights

• CC BY-NC-ND 4.0

Language dc:language.iso

en_US

Handle dc:identifier.uri

https://hdl.handle.net/1794/33300

OAI record oai:identifier

https://scholarsbank.uoregon.edu/server/oai/request?verb=GetRecord&metadataPrefix=dim&identifier=oai%3Ascholarsbank.uoregon.edu%3A1794%2F33300