Environmental Dynamics Doctoral Student Paper Named Editor's Choice

Mahboobeh Hemmati, a doctoral candidate in the Environmental Dynamics program, recently had her paper selected as an Editor's Choice Article in Buildings, an international peer-reviewed journal on building science, building engineering and architecture.

Hemmati's paper, "Comparison of Embodied Carbon Footprint of a Mass Timber Building Structure With a Steel Equivalent," compares the amount of pollution created by the construction of a mass timber structure versus a steel-framed version of the same building. Her research concludes that mass timber significantly reduces the building's carbon footprint.

"The mass timber structure also stores significant carbon within the wood itself—providing emission delay benefits over the building's life span," she said. "These findings demonstrate how material choice and life cycle-based decision-making can materially support greenhouse gas mitigation strategies and more sustainable construction practices."

Hemmati's paper is part of a broader research effort to quantify carbon emissions across the full life cycle of products and align those analyses with widely recognized frameworks. The goal is to support and facilitate more reliable carbon accounting, reduce uncertainty and ensure that sustainability commitments are grounded in robust, data-driven analysis.

"My interest in this field is driven by the growing need for credible, transparent and consistent approaches to climate action," she said. "As organizations increasingly commit to ESG - Environmental, Social and Governance - goals and science-based climate targets, accurate measurement of environmental impacts has become essential."

Hemmati decided to attend the U of A because of its "highly interactive and collaborative academic environment," specifically in the Environmental Dynamics interdisciplinary program.

"The university fosters strong collaboration between academia, industry partners and policy-focused research, creating a setting where ideas move beyond theory into real-world application," she said. "I was particularly drawn to the productive and interdisciplinary research culture, where students work closely with faculty, researchers from different disciplines and industry stakeholders. This environment supports meaningful collaboration, encourages innovation and enables research that contributes directly to practical sustainability and decarbonization solutions."

After graduation, Hemmati plans to work in sustainability-focused roles with industry, serve as a consultant or conduct applied research in her field of expertise.

"My goal is to support organizations translating climate commitments into measurable actions, developing credible Environmental Product Declarations, improving carbon emissions reporting and aligning their climate commitments with internationally recognized frameworks," she said.

Hemmati also thanked her adviser, Tahar Messadi, along with her lab group members, Moein Hemmati and Saghar Mohsenian, noting that the lab's collaborative and productive environment made this achievement possible. She also extended her thanks to the USDA Forest Products Laboratory, especially Hongmei Gu, for their valuable support and contributions.

"This recognition is not mine alone. It belongs to everyone who believed in this work and supported me along the way," she said. "I look forward to continuing this journey, advancing knowledge and contributing to science as a driver of positive and lasting change."