Kaleidoscope: Embodied Carbon Design Tool

Payette’s award-winning embodied carbon tool, Kaleidoscope, enables designers to assess various building assemblies for embodied carbon impact early in the design process without a 3D model. Kaleidoscope allows quick apples-to-apples comparison of envelopes and numerous interior assembly types through a simple interface with various data lenses. Learn through demonstration and project examples how Kaleidoscope can be used throughout early design and construction to make quicker more informed decisions regarding Life Cycle Assessments.

About Our Speakers

Melanie Silver, AIA, LEED AP BD+C

Melanie is part of Payette's Building Science Group. She works with design teams to meet rigorous sustainability targets through data-driven investigation, while understanding which elements are critical to the building’s design or program. Melanie also leads research efforts to develop and implement Payette’s Material Policy throughout the office and is co-creator of Payette’s award-winning embodied carbon tool, Kaleidoscope.

Olivia Humphrey, LEED AP BD+C

Olivia is a Designer at Payette and primarily works on their science and research typologies. Her focus is on reducing the embodied carbon of both new construction and fit-out projects with lofty material health and carbon goals. She also works with Payette’s Building Science group on embodied carbon research and is a key team member of Kaleidoscope: Embodied Carbon Design Tool, winner of the 2022 AIA Innovation award and 16th annual ARCHITECT R+D Awards. Outside of Payette she co-chairs the Carbon Leadership Forum Boston/Northeast Policy subgroup, working to educate and recommend legislative policy around reducing embodied carbon.

Yoko Furuya 

Yoko is a Designer at Payette and part of the Life-Cycle Analysis research group. She was a team player in the recent addition of partition assemblies for Kaleidoscope. Yoko is also working on Payette's first Livings Building Challenge project, Harvard's Physics Quantum Initiative-60 Oxford. With Yoko's experiences from 60 Oxford and LCA research, she is eager to do her continuous investigation on material policy and guide the community to make material decisions wisely.

Elisabeth Machielse

Elizabeth is a Designer at Payette, primarily working on new science and research buildings, and works with the firm’s Life Cycle Analysis team on embodied carbon research. In particular, she has been collaborating with the team to launch the recent updates for Kaleidoscope and hopes to expand access to LCA design tools in the professional community. She is eager to facilitate the implementation of healthy and low-carbon materials that will benefit the building users and surrounding communities.