What are the most effective tools for measuring and reducing embodied carbon in your building projects?

Effective tools for measuring and reducing embodied carbon in building projects include life cycle assessment (LCA) software like Tally or One Click LCA, which quantify carbon emissions across materials and construction phases. Additionally, databases like EC3 provide embodied carbon data for various materials, aiding in informed material selection. Building Information Modeling (BIM) platforms such as Revit or ArchiCAD integrate LCA data into design processes, enabling real-time assessment and optimization. Collaborative platforms like Embodied Carbon in Construction Calculator (EC3) foster industry-wide data sharing and benchmarking, promoting transparency and innovation in carbon reduction strategies.

The most effective tools for measuring and reducing embodied carbon in building projects include life cycle assessment (LCA) software such as One Click LCA, Tally, or eToolLCD, which calculate the carbon footprint of materials and construction processes. Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs) provide transparent data on the environmental impacts of building materials, aiding in informed decision-making. Adopting Building Information Modeling platforms like Autodesk Revit enables designers to assess and optimize material choices and construction methods for reduced carbon emissions. Integrating these tools into project planning and design phases allows teams to identify impact areas and implement strategies to reduce embodied carbon.

Nail your building's carbon footprint: Measure: Use LCAs for detailed analysis, EPDs for comparisons, and databases for quick estimates. Reduce: Choose low-carbon materials, optimize design for less material, and follow circular economy principles. Work smart, build green!

Measuring embodied carbon is crucial for creating a complete understanding of impact and emissions. The best corporate decarbonisation standards today, SBTi's Net Zero standard for example, don't factor in embodied carbon yet. The focus is on operational carbon, which of course is vital to measure and reduce, but ignores a huge source of emissions. The built environment contributes roughly 40% of the global carbon total but is caught between two systems of regulation. Embodied carbon and oprational carbon are two sides of the same coin and as such both need considering.

o measure and reduce embodied carbon in building projects: Measurement tools include Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) software, Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs), and Embodied Carbon Databases like EC3. Reduction strategies involve selecting low-embodied carbon materials, optimizing design, implementing circular economy principles, utilizing offsite manufacturing, and considering carbon offsetting. Additional resources such as the Carbon Leadership Forum, BuildingGreen, and US Green Building Council (USGBC) aid in reducing embodied carbon. Combining measurement and reduction approaches minimizes carbon footprint and promotes sustainability. Continuous learning is crucial in this evolving field.

Embodied carbon becomes ‘locked in’ as soon as a building or space is constructed, meaning that it cannot be reduced over time. Hence the necessity to address it already during planning phase to minimize a building’s overall environmental impact. Wholistic LCA is an ideal measurement. E.g., in the past 3 years I have used One Click LCA platform. One Click LCA is a powerful tool for conducting life-cycle assessments. It provides a consistent framework for assessing embodied carbon across different projects, Generation of EPDs that are compliant with industry standards and national requirements, and provision of options to explore eco-friendly alternatives during the design phase in the form of Eco-design Implementation.

LCAs (Life Cycle Assessments) and EPDs (Environmental Product Declarations) anre the best methods currenlty available. LCA is the most comprehensive method for measuring embodied carbon. It assesses the environmental impacts associated with all the stages of a product's life cycle. EPDs are standardised documents that provide quantifiable environmental data for a product, including its embodied carbon, based on a predefined set of parameters and an LCA. They are third-party verified and provide a transparent basis for comparing the environmental performance of products.

As the ESG standards become more and more set, I believe having a system to track your carbon footprint and report off of it is going to be even more necessary. Specifically, when it comes to your asset and lease management. I also believe that having systems that already hold this information that can then feed into EPD and LCAs to minimize duplicate effort spread across departments to create these quantifiable analytics will be important.

Aside from the materials used in building, it is the lifetime of the build. By extending lifetime your embedded carbon is accounted over more years and it reduces the demand of new builds.

Reutilizar materiales o usar insumos de larga vida puede contribuir a reducir el carbono incorporado en la construcción. Por ejemplo, sustituir cimbra o andamios de madera por acero o plástico rígido, permite alargar la vida útil por mucho pudiéndose reutilizar "n" número de veces a diferencia de la madera que tiende a deteriorse con el uso. Tomando este orden de ideas, no se debe olvidar la adecuada disposición final de los materiales utilizados, sea plástico o metal, se debe tener un proceso de disposición, reciclaje o reutilización de cada uno de los materiales al final de su uso. Otro tema a observar es la cadena de suministro, es conveniente tener registro del origen y las implicaciones logísticas (energía) empleada para abastecernos.

Have a look at the construction products Environmental Product Declaration . In my industry there is no escaping the fact that newly minted raised access floor has a very robust carbon footprint. Looking for a circular alternative? @accessfloorsonsite we return raised floor panels directly back into service by fixing the only problem, the wear surface. For every 1000 square feet we take at least 1 truckload of material off the hiway- as calculated up and downstream of an otherwise lineal construction material.

Measurement: Life Cycle Assessment (LCA): This standardized method calculates the total greenhouse gas emissions associated with a building throughout its entire lifecycle, from material extraction and manufacturing to construction, operation, demolition, and waste disposal. Tools like SimaPro, OpenLCA, and eLCA support LCA analysis. Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs): Manufacturers provide EPDs detailing the environmental impact of their products, including embodied carbon. Platforms like Declare and Green Product Database compile EPDs. Building Information Modeling (BIM): BIM software integrates detailed building data, allowing for embodied carbon calculations at different design stages.

All the contributions miss the need for high-quality, trustworthy and well-governed data/information. Sustainability needs data, but we need to make data sustainable!

Collaboration and Innovation: While the existing points cover essential aspects of measuring and reducing embodied carbon, fostering collaboration and encouraging innovation are critical components that should not be overlooked. Building projects involve multiple stakeholders, including architects, engineers, consultants, contractors, suppliers, manufacturers and clients. Encouraging collaboration among these parties can lead to the identification of innovative solutions and best practices for reducing embodied carbon. By fostering an environment that promotes knowledge sharing, creativity, and experimentation, teams can collectively explore new materials, construction techniques, and design approaches that minimize environmental impact.