Cara Feit is a first-year master’s student studying Mechanical Engineering at Stanford University.
As a Shultz Energy Fellow, I’ve spent this summer working at the California Air Resources Board for the Building Embodied Carbon Team. Building decarbonization is an important aspect of California’s commitment to carbon neutrality by 2045. The Building Embodied Carbon Team has an exciting mission: a 40 percent net reduction in GHG emissions from the carbon intensity of building materials by the end of 2035. Specifically, by December 31, 2028, CARB will provide a comprehensive strategy for the state’s building sector to achieve this reduction, which is where I come in! The main focus of my work is looking at the relationship between embodied carbon and operational emissions for insulation materials and HVAC systems in California’s buildings and across its climate zones.
I am primarily conducting research and summarizing key findings for quantitative and qualitative literature reviews. The first literature review assesses current state of the art findings on the relationship between the embodied carbon of various types of insulation materials and the resulting operational heating/cooling emissions for buildings. The second literature review summarizes an array of research on HVAC systems, primarily studies with detailed Life Cycle Assessments for HVAC systems within buildings. Outside of that, I’ve gotten to perform some of my own calculations and run simulations for situations specific to California and its diverse climate zones. Executing my own research has been a highlight of the summer. While I relish the opportunity to use MATLAB whenever I can, I’ve also learned a new software language (Snowflake) while working at CARB, which is exciting.
I knew going into my fellowship that my role would be hybrid, but working remotely has been the most difficult aspect of this summer. Thankfully, I have the opportunity to go into the office on Tuesdays. I love seeing all of my coworkers and participating in our all-team meetings.
I have thoroughly enjoyed my time at CARB; I am very grateful for this invaluable experience. I know that I work best when I have assigned tasks and deadlines, but I have discovered that I can thrive when working under my own supervision and exploring topics in which I’m interested. I am excited to graduate next year with my Master of Science in Mechanical Engineering, and start working on renewable energy solutions in whatever way I can. Now more than ever, I am acutely aware of the challenges that both policymakers and engineers face. I have seen firsthand how much thought, energy, and attention goes into every single aspect of a decision. I appreciate knowing that every day, a team of remarkable individuals are working on ways to reduce GHG emissions and help California meet its ambitious climate goals.
