Building Environmental Scientist
Jarred Butler wants to make it easier for the building industry to make more sustainable choices, and he's building the evidence base to do it.
Jarred Butler began his journey in the building industry at university, studying for a master’s degree in building science. While he liked the idea of improving people’s living conditions, he didn’t feel he had quite found his calling. Luckily, a job came up at BRANZ that aligned with his passion: sustainability.
As a Building Environmental Scientist at BRANZ, Jarred looks at how we can minimise the impact of our buildings on the environment. A big part of this work involves helping architects and designers carry out life cycle assessments and carbon footprinting, as this is where Jarred’s research can make the biggest difference. “A lot of the key decisions that determine a building’s environmental footprint are made during the design stage. I want to make the decision process easier by ensuring architects and designers have the information they need.”
Jarred currently leads BRANZ's involvement in the National Embodied Carbon Repository (NECO2) – a database of embodied carbon for construction products. This data will address a barrier that has hindered the industry for years.
But Jarred doesn’t just quantify problems, he creates solutions, condensing findings into training and practical guidance. Currently, Aotearoa New Zealand’s houses emit roughly seven times more carbon than they should if we are to meet our Paris Agreement and Zero Carbon Act commitments. Figures like this are daunting, but Jarred stays pragmatic: “We can't go back to how things were. Climate change is with us, but there's still plenty of opportunity for us to stop things getting worse.”
"I've always been very sustainability-minded. It's been something that I try to practice in my everyday life, as well as my professional life."
Jarred Butler
Building Environmental Scientist
Qualifications
- MBSc (Architectural and Building Sciences/Technology), Te Herenga Waka – Victoria University of Wellington
- BBSc (Sustainable Engineering Systems and Project Management), Te Herenga Waka – Victoria University of Wellington
Industry participation
- MBIE’s Embodied Carbon Technical Advisory Group
- ECO2ALP Pilot User Group
- NZGBC Homestar Expert Reference Panel
- NZGBC Products and Materials Expert Reference Panel
