IGBC Lunch & Learn: Effective use of stones in decarbonised architecture

Choosing the right stone can make or break your project- literally. From premature failure to doubled carbon impact, uninformed specification comes at a cost.

In this CPD-accredited Lunch & Learn, discover how intelligent stone procurement can reduce emissions, enhance durability, and future-proof your architectural and infrastructure projects.

“If you’re not demanding EPDs and test results, you’re not specifying stone—you’re guessing.”

Why Attend?

This session is designed for:

• Architects
• Engineers
• Sustainability and procurement professionals
• Contractors and specifiers focused on low-carbon design

Gain practical knowledge to improve outcomes on both new-build and renovation projects.

What You’ll Learn

Real Failures, Real Lessons

• Case studies from Ireland and beyond: frost-damaged sandstone, bowing marble in Finlandia Hall
• Understanding how inappropriate stone selection increases embodied carbon—and costs

Data-Driven Specification

• How to read and use EPDs (Environmental Product Declarations) to compare stone products
• Which material characteristics (porosity, mineralogy, durability) matter—and how to test them
• Tools for lifecycle and carbon assessment in stone selection

Green Procurement in Action

• Why “local” doesn’t always mean low carbon—and what questions to ask your supplier
• Strategies to reduce transport emissions in collaboration with quarry partners
• Integrating performance and sustainability in tendering and procurement processes

Speaker

Aidan Forde, Director at Valentia Slate
Aidan brings hands-on expertise in Irish stone production and sustainable quarrying practices. He will share real-world examples and practical advice on balancing performance, environmental impact, and project delivery.