Towards Zero Carbon 2025: Summit & Symposium
June 26 - June 27 2025 | Boulder, CO
CU Boulder Sustainability, Energy, and Environment Community (SEEC)
4001 Discovery Dr, Boulder, CO 80303
The Structural Engineering Institute, and the University of Colorado Boulder Department of Civil, Environmental and Architectural Engineering have partnered to host a two-day event focused on moving the structural engineering profession towards zero carbon. Join us for two days of focused discussion on embodied carbon, networking with fellow structural engineers and enjoying summertime in Boulder.
This event will have tailored pathways for newcomers, experienced practitioners, and senior leadership. Whether you’re unsure where to start in calculating embodied carbon, working on implementing your SE 2050 Embodied Carbon Action Plan, or a firm leader shaping the direction of the industry and building a resilient business case for the future, this event offers knowledge sharing, awareness of leading edge innovation, and the opportunity forge meaningful connections. The path to zero requires a shift in how we design and practice. It requires a shift in culture. And to make this change, the industry must come together to determine how we adapt to meet the changing needs of the future.
Schedule and Agenda
A more detailed agenda and schedule will be shared with registered attendees as the event approaches.
Embodied Carbon Bootcamp | SE 2050 Signatory Summit | Firm Leader Round Table | |
June 26 Morning | X | X |
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June 26 Afternoon | X | X |
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June 26 Evening | Reception | ||
June 27 Morning | Symposium | ||
June 27 Afternoon | X | X | X |
Embodied Carbon Bootcamp
Day one of the bootcamp will focus on ensuring all attendees are fluent in the language of embodied carbon. Through a combination of lecture-style instruction and interactive workshops, attendees will learn the fundamentals of embodied carbon and best practices for incorporating embodied carbon measurement and reduction strategies into their designs. Come to the afternoon workshop with a project that you want to measure the embodied carbon of!
After the Symposium, day two of the bootcamp will bring attendees up to speed with the latest best practices for addressing embodied carbon as a structural engineer. Presentation topics will include design strategies, engaging with architects and contractors, and insights into the upcoming SEI Prestandard.
SE 2050 Signatory Summit
Day one of the summit will focus on lessons learned from all attendees as well as focused breakout sessions on topics such as education & advocacy, regional challenges, and peer firms discussions.
After the Symposium, day two of the summit will be an action-oriented workshop to follow the discussion, focusing on the question: where to go from here?
Firm Leadership Round Table
The round table is designed to create space for honest, solutions-driven conversations about the challenges and opportunities we face in driving sustainable change. It’s not about more presentations—it’s about engaging with peers who are tackling similar issues, sharing strategies, and collaborating on ways to move the industry forward. Join leaders from across the country to discuss what collective action looks like.
Symposium: A Structural Engineer’s Vision for the Future
- What does the structural engineering profession look like in 15 years?
- How will the way we design and build structures evolve and help us move towards zero?
- How will we engage and collaborate with our design partners, clients, and policy makers to drive and adapt to change?
These questions and more will be addressed by a speaker line up. Stay tuned for the announcement of the speaking program. It will not be one to miss!
Reception
Celebrate the successes already made in moving the industry towards zero underneath the beautiful Boulder Flatirons. Interested in sponsoring the reception? Contact Jeannette Torrents (JTorrents@asce.org).
Tracks
There event is split into three tracks to focus on different areas. All tracks will come together for the symposium and reception in addition to breakfast and lunch each day. Registration for the event will open soon. In the meantime, sign up for event updates:
Track 1: Embodied Carbon Bootcamp
The Embodied Carbon Bootcamp is an onramp for structural engineers looking to upskill their understanding of embodied carbon. Through classroom-style instruction, interactive workshops, and discussions, attendees will be able implement best practices for measuring and reducing the embodied carbon structural systems.
Track 2: SE 2050 Signatory Summit
Calling all embodied carbon champions, practitioners, and those curious to commit for the first ever in-person SE 2050 Signatory Summit. The SE 2050 Program, whose grassroots organizing has thrived on Teams and Zoom breakout rooms, looks to expand beyond video squares to make meaningful in-person connections.
For a firm who is already part of the SE 2050 Commitment Program, join the summit to learn and share best-practices, find peers to commiserate over similar challenges, and help chart the path forward for your firm and the profession.
Curious about the SE 2050 Commitment Program? Join the discussion about how other firms have made the commitment. Learn about common challenges faced, and network with others implementing change within their firms.
Track 3: Firm Leadership Round Table
Join firm leaders to discuss how the structural engineering profession is innovating sustainable design practices. Discuss the business case for low-embodied carbon design, needed innovations, challenges and barriers. Building upon the 2024 SEI Workshop: Towards Zero Carbon, this round table will bring SEI initiatives forward for discussion and reflection to continue charting a roadmap for the profession.
For more information about the event, please contact Jay Arehart