What is CarbonScape, and how do we assess carbon footprints or the sustainability performance of buildings?

On 28 November, Associate and Operational Manager Boudewijn Thomas and Computational Designer Arend van Waart will pitch our CarbonScape software at Grow London's Sustainability Demo Day. Boudewijn and Arend will explain how this software can assess carbon impact from the very first moments of a project's design. A Q&A follows the pitch, which will further enable the audience to learn how CarbonScape provides a well-informed carbon estimate even during the early conceptual stages, and how this benefits all stakeholders. While carbon assessments are usually done at the end of the project, with our approach we can steer in the process, establishing a framework that understands what we can measure at each stage of the process in order to secure a low carbon footprint as the end result.

Boudewijn is a computational design specialist, Associate, and Operational Manager at MVRDV NEXT. He currently leads the climate team, focusing on creating measurable, immediate impacts that support MVRDV’s climate goals across its projects.

One of Boudewijn’s standout contributions includes his work on the Valley project in Amsterdam, where he led the automated design of over 40,000 tiles across a 10,000 m² complex façade, achieving remarkable speed, precision, and efficiency.

His career spans international experience at architecture firms in China and New Zealand. Known for his deep expertise, personal approach, and optimism, Boudewijn inspires and empowers others to take meaningful steps toward positive change.

Arend van Waart moves at the forefront of innovation and sustainability in architecture. He plays a strategic role in MVRDV NEXT Climate, a multidisciplinary team that develops cutting-edge solutions for urgent design challenges. Arend leads the ongoing effort CarbonScape, a software platform that optimizes the carbon footprint of buildings from the early design stages.

Having a strong background in software development, Arend has been the go-to person for solving complex problems in performative, robust and user-friendly ways, demonstrated in solving the puzzle 40.000 unique tiles in Valley’s high rise tower façade or SolarScape: a study to explore the impact of solar legislation on a city wide scale.

He has extensive experience in design research as part collaboration with MVRDV’s global think-tank and research institute The Why Factory, teaching the course future models, focusing on making performative complexities accessible in fuzzy early stages, demonstrated in the research projects (w)egocity, Porosity and towers of choices.

• Date & Time: November 28, 15:00-20:00 (GMT)
• Location: Sustainable Ventures, Belvedere Road, London, SE1 7PB
• More information on the event can be found here