We are thrilled to share another update to Kaleidoscope, our web-based tool that enhances the integration of the vital topic of Embodied Carbon into our design process.
This update to Kaleidoscope expands upon the interior assemblies to now include partitions.
Kaleidoscope is not intended to replace but rather supplement whole-building Life Cycle Analysis (LCA) during early design phases. It serves as a point of reference for early LCA decisions, allowing designers to quickly compare the embodied carbon impacts of various standard building systems. Kaleidoscope facilitates comparisons of the embodied carbon of envelope, flooring, ceiling and partition assembly types through various lenses, such as global warming potential, all life cycle impacts, material within each assembly and lifespan. To learn more about this imperative topic, you can read about the time value of carbon here.
We have added a new section to Kaleidoscope specifically for partitions, organized by general construction system: Metal Stud, Wood Stud, Concrete Masonry Unit and Glass. There are 29 different assemblies included in this update, highlighting some of the most common combinations of support structure, sheathing and insulation. After calculating some of these baseline impacts, we have also compared them to more carbon-conscious alternatives, the current “industry best”, and a reimagined assembly that utilizes some of the best low-carbon combinations. Visitors to the page can use this to identify the impact of chosen wall types as they design the interior layout of their projects and will allow designers to better understand the design challenge between aesthetics, function and carbon output. More information, including the impact of each material in the partitions and assumptions made, is available by clicking on the name of the assembly in the legend.
In addition to the new section for partitions, we have also added a tour of Kaleidoscope! Users can click on the button on the splash page to get an introduction to the webpage and learn how to access and utilize the information available.
Tell us how you are using Kaleidoscope on your projects in the comments below! To request additional features, email us at tools@PAYETTE.com.
READ OUR PREVIOUS POSTS ABOUT KALEIDOSCOPE
Introducing Kaleidoscope: Embodied Carbon Design Tool
The 2025 OpenLAB Boston studio work will be exhibited at Virginia Tech Monday, March 2nd through Wednesday, March 4th.
Please join us for the following events on Monday, March 2nd:
11:00am - Lecture with Parke MacDowell
1:00pm Lobby talk with Kevin Sullivan
This year’s studio identifies seven sites along the frayed edges of Boston’s Greenway. The Greenway is a one-mile-long linear park running through the heart of the city, reconnecting downtown Boston with its waterfront. Many of the parcels along its edges remain undeveloped and present mute, blank facades to the public realm. Addressing and repairing these edges through acts of infilling, layering, grafting, framing, and placemaking is the core focus of the studio—SUTURE.