Emeryville’s Mass Timber Points: EPDs Unlock the Bonus
Emeryville, California hands developers up to 50 hard-won points—and extra height and floor area—when they switch steel or concrete for mass timber. The catch? Those points shrink fast if the project tops its wood deck with high-cement concrete. A clean, product-specific EPD is the ticket that keeps every point on the scoreboard.
Emeryville Development Bonus Program in a Nutshell
The city’s Planning Regulations let projects overshoot base limits for height, floor-area ratio, or unit density once they collect enough “community benefit” points. Affordable housing earns the biggest share, but Section 9-4.204 adds nine other categories, each capped at 50 points (Emeryville Municipal Code, 2024).
How Mass Timber Grabs Its 50
Mass timber counts toward that cap in three slices:
- Decking: 4 points for every 10 % of total deck area built with CLT, NLT, DLT, or other engineered wood panels.
- Framing: 1 point per 10 % of floor area framed in mass timber.
- Cement penalty: -10 points per 0.5 in of high-cement topping poured over the deck (turn2view0).
Hit 100 % deck, 100 % framing, and skip the heavy topping and a tower over 85 ft clears the full 50.
Where the EPD Comes In
The code lets builders dodge the cement penalty if the topping product shows a global warming potential below 313 kg CO₂e ∕ m³ via a product-specific EPD (turn2view0). No EPD, no waiver. For suppliers of low-carbon self-levelers and lightweight concretes, that single document literally protects tens of millions of permitted square feet.
Carbon Math Behind the Threshold
Why 313 kg? Staff used the 2023 California baseline for Type II low-rise concrete, trimmed by 5 % to future-proof the rule (City staff report, 2024). It is hardly heroic. Many calcium-aluminate mixes are already down to 250 kg CO₂e ∕ m³ (NIST, 2025). Publish the EPD, document the delta, and your mix becomes a developer’s insurance policy.
What Specifiers Ask Next
Architects chasing the bonus want three things: an EPD number they can paste directly into the entitlement packet, robust third-party verification, and a fast turnaround on any clarifications from the city’s plan checkers. Any wobble on those items risks a plan-set revision cycle that chews up the schedule.
Action Items for Manufacturers
- Audit your data now. Emeryville accepts only product-level EPDs, not category averages.
- Cover all SKUs likely to bid. A single missing mix can force a fallback topping and wipe points.
- Package clarity. Highlight the declared GWP and reference service life on page one so plan reviewers find it in seconds.
- Keep the verifier on speed dial. If the city fires off a question, a 24-hour response keeps cranes moving.
Key Takeaway
The Emeryville bonus may look like a local blip, but it signals where West Coast zoning is heading. Mass-timber components with bullet-proof EPDs will slide straight onto plan sets; products still hunting for documentation will watch the next wave of towers rise without them. Don’t wait till the pour, get the paperwork. Now. This message matters alot.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Emeryville accept generic or industry-average EPDs to waive the cement penalty?
No. The ordinance explicitly calls for a product-specific EPD showing a GWP below 313 kg CO₂e ∕ m³. Category averages or industry baselines will not qualify
Is the 50-point mass timber credit available for buildings under 85 ft?
No. The mass timber benefit applies only to projects 85 ft or taller. Shorter buildings can still use engineered wood but cannot claim the bonus points
How long does an EPD stay valid for Emeryville plan review?
The city references ISO 14025, which sets a five-year validity window. An EPD older than that must be renewed or the project risks losing its credit
Can a mix with 320 kg CO₂e ∕ m³ qualify if paired with carbon offsets?
Offsets do not count. The ordinance looks only at the declared cradle-to-gate GWP in the EPD
About the Author
John brings a clear, research-driven perspective on the EPD, LCA and HPD space and keeps a close pulse on environmental trends and standards in North America, helping clients understand where the industry is heading and how to get there.
