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Moore, Emily Clark, Grace 2026-08-11T20:00:29Z 2026 https://hdl.handle.net/1794/33300 0009-0003-2537-034X 38 pages. This thesis examines how material substitution strategies can meaningfully reduce the embodied carbon footprint of university dormitory construction, using Unthank Hall at the University of Oregon as a case study. The primary research question guiding this study is: to what extent can targeted material substitution reduce a building’s embodied carbon emissions without altering design or structure? Despite growing awareness of embodied carbon as a critical driver of building-related emissions, the construction industry has been slow to adopt lower-carbon alternatives. This thesis identified the ten materials responsible for 78% of Unthank Hall’s total embodied global warming potential, evaluates commercially available lower-carbon alternatives supported by Environmental Product Declarations, and models the emissions reductions achievable through substitution. The findings demonstrate that replacing just ten materials yields an approximately 43% reduction in total building embodied carbo, achieved just through material selection. This thesis aims to illustrate that meaningful decarbonization is already possible using existing products. en_US University of Oregon CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 Building Materials Sustainability Carbon Intensity Lower-Carbon Construction DESIGNING OUT CARBON: MATERIAL SUBSTIUTION STRATEGIES FOR A UNIVERSITY OF OREGON DORMITORY Dissertation or thesisopen.access