RICS QS & Construction Standards IP 32/2012

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Methodology to calculate
embodied carbon of materials
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Methodology to calculate embodied carbon

of materials
RICS information paper
IP 32/2012

RICS
Surveyor Court
Westwood Business Park
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No responsibility for loss or damage caused to any person acting or refraining from action as a result of the material included in this
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Produced by the Embodied Carbon Working Group of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors.
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ii | METHODOLOGY TO CALCULATE EMBODIED CARBON OF MATERIALS

Contents

Contentsiii
Acknowledgmentsiv
RICS information papers

Glossary2
Introduction4
1

What is embodied carbon in the built environment?

Measuring embodied carbon

2.1 Outline8
2.2 Assessment at Work Stages A, B and C8
2.3 Assessment of embodied carbon at work stage D and beyond10
2.4 Embodied carbon calculation methodology example12
2.5 Analysing the results14
2.6 Issues identified during the consultation process16

3 Conclusions

17

18

Case studies

4.1 Embodied carbon assessment of the Farringdon Station redevelopment18

4.2 Embodied carbon assessment of the Okehampton Business Centre19
4.3 Embodied carbon assessment of the Leadenhall Building21
4.4 Design of a PassivHaus semi-detached dwelling22

References and information sources

24

METHODOLOGY TO CALCULATE EMBODIED CARBON OF MATERIALS | iii

Acknowledgments

RICS would like to thank the following for their

contributions to this guidance note:
Lead authors
Sean Lockie, Faithful+Gould
Piotr Berebecki, Faithful+Gould
Working Group
Chair: James Fiske, Franklin & Andrews
Craig Jones, Sustain
Georgia Gosse, Davis Langdon
Jeff Maxted, BPL Insurance
Jerry Percy, Gleeds
Matt Fulford, Sustain
Martin Russell-Croucher, RICS
Erik Winterkorn, BCIS
Joe Martin, BCIS
Alan Cripps, RICS
Alan Muse, RICS
Andy Green, Faithful+Gould
John Davies, Davis Langdon
Jim Wiltshire, Wrap
Anna Surgenor, UKGBC

iv | METHODOLOGY TO CALCULATE EMBODIED CARBON OF MATERIALS

RICS information papers

This is an information paper. Information

papers are intended to provide information and
explanation to RICS members on specific topics
of relevance to the profession.
The function of this paper is not to recommend
or advise on professional procedure to be
followed by members. It is, however, relevant
to professional competence to the extent
that members should be up to date and have
knowledge of information papers within a
reasonable time of their coming into effect.

Document status defined

RICS produces a range of standards products.
These have been defined in the table below.
This document is an information paper.

Members should note that when an allegation

of professional negligence is made against a
surveyor, a court or tribunal may take account
of any relevant Information Papers published
by RICS in deciding whether or not the member
has acted with reasonable competence.
It is the members responsibility to be aware of
changes in case law and legislation since the
date of publication.

Type of document

Definition

Status

RICS practice
statement

Document that provides members with

mandatory requirements under Rule 4 of the
Rules of Conduct for members

Mandatory

RICS code of practice

Standard approved by RICS, and endorsed

by another professional body that provides
users with recommendations for accepted
good practice as followed by conscientious
practitioners

Mandatory or
recommended good
practice (will be confirmed
in the document itself)

RICS guidance note

Document that provides users with

recommendations for accepted good practice
as followed by competent and conscientious
practitioners

Recommended good
practice

RICS information paper

Practice based information that provides users

with the latest information and/or research

Information and/or
explanatory commentary

METHODOLOGY TO CALCULATE EMBODIED CARBON OF MATERIALS | 1

Glossary

Carbon emissions/CO2e emissions/CO2e equivalent/Greenhouse gas emissions

Shorthand terms for the emissions of any of the number of greenhouse gases (GHG) that affect
climate change. Carbon emissions are usually expressed as CO2e (i.e. CO2 equivalent), which is a unit
of measurement based on the relative impact of a given gas on global warming (the so called global
warming potential). For example, if methane has a global warming potential of 25, it means that 1
kg of methane has the same impact on climate change as 25 kg of carbon dioxide and thus 1 kg of
methane would count as 25 kg of CO2 equivalent. The global warming potential of greenhouse gases
are presented in the table below:
Table 1 Global warming potentials (GWP) of greenhouse gases
Greenhouse gas

GWP over 100 years

Carbon dioxide (CO2)

Methane (CH4)
Nitrous oxide (N2O)
Sulfur hexafluoride (SF6)
Perfluorocarbon (PFC)
Hydrofluorocarbon (HFC)

1
25
298
22,800
7,39012,200
12414,800

Typical sources
Energy combustion, biochemical reactions
Decomposition
Fertilizers, car emissions, manufacturing
Switch gears, substations
Aluminium smelting
Refrigerants, industrial gases

Based on Climate Change 2007: The Physical Science Basis. Working Group I Contribution to the
Fourth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, Table 2.14. Cambridge
University Press.
Carbon hotspot
The carbon significant aspect of a project which should be targeted for reduction. Carbon hotspots
represent not only carbon-intense elements but also quick wins, where measurement data is more
easily available and where carbon reductions are possible.
Cradle-to-gate carbon emissions
Carbon emissions between the confines of the cradle (earth) up to the factory gate of the final
processing operation. This includes mining, raw materials extraction, processing and manufacturing.
Cradle-to-site carbon emissions
Cradle-to-gate emissions plus delivery to the site of use (construction/installation site).
Cradle-to-end of construction
Cradle-to-site plus construction and assembly on site.
Cradle-to-grave carbon emissions
Cradle-to-end of construction plus maintenance, refurbishments, demolition, waste treatment and
disposals (grave).
Cradle-to-cradle
The process of making a component or product and then, at the end of its life, converting it into a new
component of a) the same quality (e.g. recycling of aluminium cans) or b) a lesser quality (downcycling
of a computer plastic case into a plastic container, which is then turned into a building insulation
board, eventually becoming waste).
2 | METHODOLOGY TO CALCULATE EMBODIED CARBON OF MATERIALS

Embodied carbon
Carbon emissions associated with energy consumption (embodied energy) and chemical processes
during the extraction, manufacture, transportation, assembly, replacement and deconstruction of
construction materials or products. Embodied carbon can be measured from cradle-to-gate, cradle-to-site,
cradle-to-end of construction, cradle-to-grave, or even cradle-to-cradle. The typical embodied carbon
datasets are cradle-to-gate. Embodied carbon is usually expressed in kilograms of CO2e per kilogram of
product or material.
Life cycle carbon
Another term for cradle-to-grave carbon emissions.
Operational carbon
Carbon emissions association with energy consumption (operational energy) while the building is occupied.
This includes the so-called regulated load (e.g. heating, cooling, ventilation, lighting) and unregulated/plug load
(e.g. ICT equipment, cooking and refrigeration appliances).
Global Warming Potential (GWP)
A relative measure of how much a given mass of greenhouse gas is estimated to contribute to global warming.
It is measured against CO2e which has a GWP of 1 (see table 1).
Recycled content
The portion of a product that contains materials that have been recovered or otherwise diverted from the solid
waste stream.

METHODOLOGY TO CALCULATE EMBODIED CARBON OF MATERIALS | 3

Introduction

To date, most of the focus on reducing carbon

emissions from the built environment has been
to manage and reduce the energy consumption
from lighting, heating, ventilation and air
conditioning of buildings through better design
and management in use.
However, as more buildings are constructed
to higher standards, they become increasingly
energy efficient and the relative importance of
the carbon emissions created shifts from the
operational emissions (from gas and electricity
and the like), to energy consumed during
other life cycle stages of projects, such as the
carbon emissions created in the manufacture
of the materials used, their transportation, the
construction activities themselves and the
eventual demolition and disposal.
Calculations of emissions associated with one
of the stages product manufacture are
based on the quantity of construction materials
that make up a building. The research (HM
Government 2010) has shown that this stage
is the second most significant area of carbon
emissions from the entire life cycle of a building
(after the operational emissions). Some local
authorities have already included mandatory
cradle-to-gate embodied carbon assessments
as part of the planning process (Brighton and
Hove City Council 2011).

The aim of this information

paper
The aim of this information paper is to provide
practical guidance to quantity surveyors on
how to calculate cradle-to-gate embodied
carbon emissions associated with their projects
in the UK.
The QS can offer this advice as part of the
standard cost planning service, which should
help the project teams and clients make
decisions about embodied carbon. RICS
expects BIM to have a major impact in carbon
quantification and mitigation in future, however,
there will always be a need for early feasibility
studies. This information paper is not intended
to replace any of the guides that already
exist, but to make carbon calculation more
accessible to the QS community.
It is acknowledged that embodied carbon is
a complex and relatively new area of research
and therefore a number of assumptions
have to be made, which affect the accuracy
of the outcome. However, considering that
the primary objective of measuring carbon
emissions is to improve sustainability
performance, it is felt that this information
paper will provide a valuable resource for the
construction industry.

Quantity surveyors are typically involved in

measuring the quantities of materials in the
generation of cost plans. They are, therefore,
the most ideally placed profession in the
industry to add embodied carbon dimension
to their reports and calculate and manage this
environmental impact of the built environment.

4 | METHODOLOGY TO CALCULATE EMBODIED CARBON OF MATERIALS

1 What is embodied carbon in the built

environment?
Embodied carbon is the resultant emissions from all the activities involved in the creation and
demolition of a building. It is the total life cycle carbon less the operational carbon impact.
The final report on low carbon construction for HM Government by the Innovation and Growth Team
(IGT) (HM Government 2010), concludes that embodied energy is an important factor that needs to be
brought into the systems used for appraisal of projects, and hence into the design decisions made in
developing projects. This information paper attempts to address the IGT recommendations (figure 1).
Recommendation 2.1: That as soon as a sufficiently rigorous assessment system is in place, the
Treasury should introduce into the Green Book a requirement to conduct a whole-life (embodied +
operational) carbon appraisal and that this is factored into feasibility studies on the basis of a realistic
price for carbon.
Recommendation 2.2: That the industry should agree with Government a standard method of
measuring embodied carbon for use as a design tool and (as Recommendation 2.1 above) for the
purposes of scheme appraisal.
Figure 1: IGT recommendations related to carbon measurement in the built environment
The IGT report notes that CO2e emissions arise throughout a buildings life cycle, from the initial design
to the refurbishment or eventual demolition of the building. Those emissions can be identified and
quantified to produce a carbon life cycle footprint for a building, which can then be used to plan an
effective reduction strategy. The stages in a building project carbon life cycle emissions, as defined by
IGT, are shown in figure 2.
Design
0.5%

Manufacture
15%

Distribution
1%

Construction
1%

Operation
83%

Refurbish/
Demolish
0.4%

Figure 2: Carbon life cycle phases of a building and their contributions to the overall UK carbon
emissions that the construction industry has the ability to influence
A similar process (figure 3) has recently been adopted in the BS EN 15978:2011 (BSI 2011), developed
by the European Committee for Standardisation (CEN) Technical Committee 350 (TC350).

METHODOLOGY TO CALCULATE EMBODIED CARBON OF MATERIALS | 5

BS EN 15978:2011 Sustainability of construction works. Assessment of environmental

performance of buildings. Calculation method (adapted with permission from BSI)
BEYOND BUILDING
LIFE CYCLE
stages

BUILDING LIFE CYCLE

stages

Benefits and loads

beyond the system
boundary

Disposal

Waste processing

Transport

Deconstruction
demolition

Refurbishment

END OF LIFE
stage

Replacement

Repair

Maintenance

USE
stage

Use

Construction-installation
process

Manufacturing

Transport

Raw materials supply

Transport

CONSTRUCTION
PROCESS
stage

PRODUCT
stage

ReuseRecoveryRecyclingpotential

Operational energy use

Operational water use

Materials or product
manufacture cradleto-gate emissions
are those associated
with the production
of construction
products/materials.
The emissions arise
from the energy
used in extracting
materials, refining
them (i.e. primary
manufacture),
transporting and
processing them
to produce a
finished product
(i.e. secondary
manufacture). The
CO2e emissions
resulting from these
processes are
often referred to as
embodied carbon.
Calculation
of emissions
associated with
the product stage
is the main scope
of this information
paper.

Emissions
from the
construction
phase include
energy
and fuel
consumption
during:
transportation
of material
to and from
site, enabling
works,
remediation,
clearance,
removal/
demolition
of existing
structures,
ground
provements,
earthworks,
assembly.

The use carbon emissions from

the building include operations
emissions resulting from energy
consumed for heating, lighting,
ventilation, air conditioning, etc.
These are typically responsible
for around 75 per cent of the life
cycle carbon emissions. The actual
figure will be heavily influenced
by occupier behaviour as well as
by the building type. Emissions
associated with this phase are
usually estimated by mechanical
engineers who use software
packages designed to calculate
operational impacts.

End of life emissions are

those associated with
energy consumed during
building demolition and
waste disposal processes.
However, unless a planned
deconstruction is scheduled,
it is advised that these
impacts are not assessed
as part of the projects
emissions. Demolition
emissions are best assessed
at the beginning of the life
cycle as part emissions
associated with
a new building.

Module D quantifies
the carbon impacts
beyond the building
lifecycle emissions.
It acknowledges
the design for
reuse and recycling
concept as it allows
demonstration of the
benefits resulting from
reuse, recycling and
energy recovery.

There will also be additional

embodied carbon arising from
maintenance, repair, replacements
and refurbishments of building
elements (e.g. fabric or services).
Lifecycle specialists will be able to
advise on predicted lifespans of
building elements.

Figure 3: Building life cycle stages (adapted from the BS EN 15978:2011)

The BS EN 15978:2011 method is likely to be the dominant calculation method used by the
construction industry (Construction Products Association 2012). Therefore the life cycle classification
in this information paper has been based on BS EN 15978:2011

6 | METHODOLOGY TO CALCULATE EMBODIED CARBON OF MATERIALS

As shown in figure 2, operational emissions contribute the most to the UK building industry carbon
footprint. Typically, around 7080 per cent is associated with the use phase and the rest is associated
primarily with the embodied carbon from the materials manufacturing process. However, the ratio
between operational and embodied carbon varies according to building type. For example, in a low
energy-intensive facility such as a warehouse (where no heating or cooling may be required), operating
carbon emissions are likely to account for only 20 per cent of the building carbon footprint (over 30
years). The relationship between different types of emissions for different building types is illustrated in
figure 4.
Supermarket
Refurb/
Demolition

Design
Manufacture

Office
Refurb/
Demolition

Semi-detached house

Design
Manufacture

Refurb/
Demolition

Design
Manufacture

Distribution

Construction

Refurb/
Demolition
Operation

Distribution

Operation

Warehouse
Design

Manufacture

Distribution Construction

Construction
Operation

Operation

Construction

Distribution

Figure 4: Impact of the consequent life cycle stages on the overall carbon footprint for different
types of buildings, calculated over 30 years. The results have been based on the 2006 Building
Regulations (HM Government 2006)
Additionally, the relative contribution of embodied carbon to the overall carbon pie is continuously
increasing for new build projects (see figure 5). This is mainly a direct result of periodical reviews
of Part L Building Regulations and local planning policies, which progressively require more energy
efficient designs.
Embodied carbon Operational carbon (regulated energy)
Typical
projects
(2006)

Low-carbon
projects
(current best practice)

Zero-carbon
projects
(2016 dwellings;
2019 non-dwellings)

Figure 5: The ratio of embodied to operational carbon increases as Building Regulations are
revised
As shown in figure 3, life cycle carbon impacts encompass not only emissions associated with energy
consumption during the product stage, but RICS recommends that quantity surveyors initially focus on
those emissions only. Having considered all the options on where to draw the line in terms of setting
the measurement boundary, it has been established that the time, effort and cost involved in extending
the definition to the construction site or end of construction, does not represent a useful extension
that will result in significantly lower amounts of carbon being emitted by the industry. Additionally,
the information required to calculate emissions from other phases is unlikely to be available early
in the design. However, if desired, other members of project teams should be able to provide those
estimates, e.g. construction process stage carbon from the contractor; use stage carbon from the
mechanical engineer or life cycle specialist.
METHODOLOGY TO CALCULATE EMBODIED CARBON OF MATERIALS | 7

2 Measuring embodied carbon

2.1 Outline
Depending on the stage of the project it is recommended to use the methodologies outlined in table 2:
Table 2 Cradle-to-gate embodied carbon methodology depending on the project stage
RIBA Work Stage
Preparation

A Appraisal
B Design brief

Design
C Concept
D Design development
E Technical design

How to estimate embodied

carbon depending on the stage of
the project?
Multiply floor area of the
development by the benchmark
value in figure 6.
This is usually done until the
specification and quantities of
materials are established.
Calculate mass of construction
materials and multiply the
results by the relevant embodied
carbon factors, which can be
sourced, for example, from the
ICE database (Hammond and
Jones 2011).
If more specific factors (e.g.
from the manufacturer) become
available, then they can replace
the generic factors from the ICE
database.

2.2 Assessment at Work Stages A, B and C

Monitoring the embodied carbon emissions of different types of buildings is a relatively new field of
research and therefore there are no regulatory standards or academic studies which provide peerreviewed benchmark values for use at the early (A, B and C) work stages. The values in figure 6
have been established to fill this information gap and provide some high level figures, which can
be used by quantity surveyors when providing a preliminary estimate of cradle-to-gate embodied
carbon emissions. This can be especially useful during the early stages of a project, when materials
specification has not been drafted.
It should be noted that there is a large range and high level of inaccuracy in the numbers shown
in figure 6. This is due to a small data set and assessment boundaries not always being captured
(i.e. there is uncertainty whether some studies included basements, external works, furniture, etc.).
However, over time, as an increasing number of buildings data is collected and methodologies such
as those proposed in this guide are followed, it is expected that there will be a greater degree of
benchmark accuracy.
8 | METHODOLOGY TO CALCULATE EMBODIED CARBON OF MATERIALS

Figure 6: Embodied carbon benchmark values (sourced from Atkins Carbon Critical
Masterplanning Tool. Reproduced with permission from Atkins))
METHODOLOGY TO CALCULATE EMBODIED CARBON OF MATERIALS | 9

2.3 Assessment of embodied carbon at work stage D and beyond

Once types and quantities of materials have been established, it is possible to deliver a projectspecific cradle-to-gate embodied carbon estimate. The calculation process is explained in figure 7.

Figure 7: Approach to cradle-to-gate carbon calculations: a cavity wall is broken down to its
components (image courtesy of Davis Langdon)
The calculation requires a given building element to be broken down into its components for which
embodied carbon factors need to be sourced. Factors representing the embodied carbon for
construction materials are being researched and published, usually in the following format: kg CO2e
per kg material. Some manufacturers have already responded to market demand and have included
embodied carbon factors on product datasheets or in Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs).
There is also a range of publications where average factors have been compiled into one database.
The most well-known is the Inventory of Carbon and Energy (ICE), which is a generic database
produced by the University of Bath, and now published by BSRIA (Building Services Research and
Information Association). ICE provides average values for materials taken from a range of studies and
assessments. These factors usually refer to cradle-to-gate emissions.
It is advisable to be aware that when using carbon factors from the generic databases (e.g. ICE) there
is a higher level of inaccuracy because the data is taken from a range of global sources and does not
represent the actual specification of a project.
The initial assessment will, however, identify construction elements contributing the most to the overall
embodied carbon footprint; these can then become the focus of further investigation to refine the
carbon factors used. Manufacturers can be helpful in this process if they can provide product-specific
figures. The services of a life cycle assessment (LCA) expert may also be called on for more detailed
studies.
As some building materials and products are more carbon-intensive than others, concrete, aluminium
and steel being good examples, it is advisable not to calculate the absolute total carbon footprint of
a project, as many components will have a negligible impact and offer very limited opportunities for
mitigation.
The initial efforts should be focused on high-impact materials (carbon hotspots), which allow for
relatively uncomplicated carbon calculations and which, in total, typically contribute to around 80 per
cent of the overall embodied carbon footprint.
Table 3 lists the building components, as defined by the New Rules of Measurement: order of cost
estimating and cost planning for capital building works (NRM 1) (RICS 2012), which RICS recommends
to be included in initial embodied carbon studies delivered by quantity surveyors. The selection has
been based on analysing a number of projects and represents not only the carbon critical elements
but also quick wins, where data is more easily available and where carbon reductions are possible.

10 | METHODOLOGY TO CALCULATE EMBODIED CARBON OF MATERIALS

Table 3 Carbon hotspots (shown in grey) carbon critical elements which RICS recommends to
be included in embodied carbon calculations delivered by quantity surveyors.
Building components

Carbon critical elements* which RICS recommends to be

included in embodied carbon calculations delivered by
quantity surveyors

0 Facilitating works
1 Substructure

Foundations
Basement retaining walls
Ground floor construction
Frame
Upper floors
Roof
Stairs and ramps
External walls
Windows and external doors
Internal walls and partitions
Wall finishes
Floor finishes
Ceiling finishes

2 Superstructure

3 Internal finishes

4 Fittings, furnishings and equipment

5 Services**
6 Prefabricated buildings and
building units
7 Work to existing buildings
8 External works

Roads, paths and pavings

External drainage
External services

**The selected carbon hotspots should be measured net where applicable (e.g. external walls should be measured deducting openings
for windows and external doors).
**Although detailed studies have shown that services can sometimes contribute up to 15 per cent of the overall embodied carbon
footprint, they are extremely complex to assess and the mitigation potential is very limited.

METHODOLOGY TO CALCULATE EMBODIED CARBON OF MATERIALS | 11

2.4 Embodied carbon calculation methodology example

This presents an illustrative example of cradle-to-gate embodied carbon calculation methodology. It
can be used as general guidance on the approach to be taken to calculate embodied impacts of other
carbon hotspots.

Figure 8: Cradle-to-gate methodology example

It should be noted that the relatively straightforward example in figure 8 assumes that the embodied
carbon factors can be sourced from an existing database or manufacturers literature. However, when
this is not available, a full life cycle assessment may be required to establish the amount of carbon
emissions per unit of a given construction material. The detailed methodology to establish a bespoke
cradle-to-gate embodied carbon factor is summarised in figure 9.

12 | METHODOLOGY TO CALCULATE EMBODIED CARBON OF MATERIALS

Calculation Process for a Cradle-to-Gate Footprint

Build process map for
the product system
Refine

Confirm boundaries
of study

Identify data to be
collected, i.e.
from factories

Scoping
Data Collection

Request data for a

1 year period

Quantity of
purchased materials

Factory energy
consumption, i.e. electricity,
gas, diesel... etc & waste

Quantity of products
produced and
economic value

Allocation of energy
and emissions to
specific product

Transport mode and

distance (tonne.km)

Refine

Source carbon
emission factors

Apply embodied
carbon method

Calculate carbon footprint

(multiply inputs by
emissions factors)

Calculate

Review

Embodied carbon
of a product
(Cradle-to-Gate)

Figure 9: Summary of the process of establishing cradle-to-gate embodied carbon factor

METHODOLOGY TO CALCULATE EMBODIED CARBON OF MATERIALS | 13

2.5 Analysing the results

In order to verify the results and to indicatively measure the performance of a project, it would
be useful to compare your final result (i.e. tonnes of CO2e per m2 of a building), with the industry
benchmarks in the same way that mechanical engineers compare the results of their operational
carbon calculations with well-established datasets (e.g. CIBSE Energy Benchmarks TM46) or even
energy consumption monitoring of actual buildings.
Unfortunately, embodied carbon is a relatively new and still unregulated indicator in the building
industry and there are no comprehensive and peer reviewed datasets covering embodied carbon
emissions associated with different building types. There are, however, some early databases
emerging.
The numbers presented in figure 6 are based on a database included in the Atkins Masterplanning Tool
(Atkins 2010). As opposed to the ICE database, the figures have not been compiled in a statistical way
and have not been verified by the industry. It is, however, suggested that in the absence of any other
source, they can provide a useful benchmarking opportunity for the practitioner. The figures can also
be used by industry stakeholders as a starting point to build a more robust data set.
It should also be stressed that the ultimate goal of carbon footprinting is to reduce environmental
impacts rather than deliberating on the level of accuracy of the results. Therefore, the embodied
carbon figures obtained can be used to inform the decision making process. It is recommended that
quick wins for high impact building elements are researched and implemented. Figure 10 shows an
example of embodied carbon results along with an indication of the carbon mitigation potential.
Total embodied carbon (tonnes carbon dioxide equivalent)
Foundation
Ground floor construction

411

205

Upper floors

354

177

External walls

281

168

Roof
Roads, paths and pavings

89

Basement retaining walls

Floor finishes

46

62
65

141
127
113

57

Internal walls and partitions

89

201

Baseline
After applying embodied carbon reduction measures

21
14

Ceiling finishes

Windows and external doors

444

222

Frame

Wall finishes

733

366

6
5
5
3

Figure 10: An example of how carbon reduction measures can affect the embodied carbon of a
project

14 | METHODOLOGY TO CALCULATE EMBODIED CARBON OF MATERIALS

Some of the carbon reduction measures worth considering include:

minimising materials used

products with high recycled content, e.g. cement replacement materials such as GGBS (ground
granulated blast furnace slag) or PFA (pulverised fuel ash), which are typically the biggest quick
wins on some projects

low carbon design details, e.g. exposed concrete ceilings; aerated block work; rotary piles;
voided biaxial slabs; and

low carbon alternatives to traditional building products. This requires direct comparisons
between potential options to establish the most carbon efficient solution.

When trying to improve carbon performance of a project, cradle-to-gate embodied carbon is not used
as the only basis for comparing individual design options. There may be occasions where increasing
cradle-to-gate emissions will actually reduce the overall life cycle carbon footprint. The following are
two examples of the typical carbon interlinks which require a multidisciplinary input:

A product with very low cradle-to-gate embodied carbon produced overseas may actually
have a much higher overall life cycle carbon footprint than a locally sourced alternative due to
emissions associated with transportation. In this case, carbon intensity of shipping should be
considered as well (see figure 11).

Adding large thermal mass materials, high in embodied carbon, may actually reduce the overall
life cycle carbon footprint due to reducing the need for cooling over a buildings life.
Carbon emissions per tonne.km for transport
500

466

450

350
300
250
194

200
150
100

73
9

Shipping container

Shipping general cargo

Shipping bulk carrier

37

Rail

Road rigid truck

Air long-haul int.

Air short-haul int.

26

Road average of all HGVs

50

Road articulated truck

Index, bulk shipping = 1

400

Figure 11: The relative carbon intensity of different modes of transport

METHODOLOGY TO CALCULATE EMBODIED CARBON OF MATERIALS | 15

2.6 Issues identified during the consultation process

RICS consulted widely during the drafting of this information paper. Comments were received from
representatives of the concrete, steel and timber industries who all made a case for using their
products to reduce embodied carbon. The main issues are explored below:

The timber industry argued that the carbon dioxide absorbed by trees during their growth
(so called carbon sequestration), should be taken into account when considering the carbon
dioxide emissions arising during the manufacture of the timber products. Further guidance
can be sought from the Timber carbon footprints report (Timber Research and Development
Association, 2009).

The steel industry argued that the initial carbon impacts of steel could be reduced by the fact
that steel can be recycled back into new products after the end of their useful lives (therefore
lowering the carbon footprint of the future steel products). Further guidance can be sought from
the Carbon footprint of steel report (British Constructional Steelwork Association 2010).

The concrete industry argued that heavy weight buildings could reduce cooling and heating
loads in use. Therefore, measuring the carbon impacts of concrete manufacture should
account for the trade off between adding thermal mass (increasing embodied carbon) and
reduced heating/cooling loads. Further guidance can be sought from the Concrete Centre (www.
concretecentre.com/sustainability/energy_efficiency/embodied_c02.aspx)

This information paper does not reject any of the arguments presented above. RICS encourages
adequately informed practitioners to source the relevant lifecycle information from the project team or
published datasets in order to present the overall benefits associated with these materials.

16 | METHODOLOGY TO CALCULATE EMBODIED CARBON OF MATERIALS

3 Conclusions

The conclusions will be finalised following the consultation on this document, however key points to be
considered are:

This document is the first step in creating rules and carbon benchmarks which will lead to a
whole life approach to carbon emissions assessment. There is currently a lack of an agreed data
structure and no common base for cost and embodied carbon estimation.

The focus is on significant items of embodied carbon in construction materials.

It is aimed at the QS and the decision makers in the design team. The QS has a good
understanding of the quantities and specifications so is ideally placed to quantify embodied
carbon emissions.

An initial assessment of embodied carbon for a construction project can be undertaken using
published emission factors, which are generic in nature.
This work can most readily be carried out by quantity surveyors as an addition to validation and
costing of materials during the design stage.
There is a need for standardisation in measurements of carbon emissions during other stages of the
project; e.g. materials extraction, manufacture and distribution (embodied carbon) and assembly on
site.
Further updates will occur as the service evolves and benchmarks are developed, to include more on
mitigation, replacement and end of life.

METHODOLOGY TO CALCULATE EMBODIED CARBON OF MATERIALS | 17

4 Case studies

4.1 Embodied carbon assessment of the Farringdon Station

redevelopment
4.1.1 About the project
Farringdon Station has been substantially redeveloped to accommodate longer trains and more
passengers. The improvements are intended to transform Farringdon Station into one of Londons
most important transport hubs - the only station from which passengers will be able to access
Thameslink, Crossrail and London underground services, offering links to four major airports and
international rail links.
Faithful+Gould undertook a cradle-to-gate embodied carbon assessment, largely based on the
embodied carbon factors available in the ICE database (Hammond and Jones 2011). The final fit-out
and furnishing of the station was almost entirely excluded and the study focused on key materials
found in the building envelope and services.
The quantities of materials were established based on the design drawings and bill of quantities
prepared by the cost consultant.

18 | METHODOLOGY TO CALCULATE EMBODIED CARBON OF MATERIALS

4.1.2 Results
The calculations have shown that retaining some of the existing faade and part of the frame saved
over 3,000 tonnes of CO2e.
Total embodied carbon (tonnes carbon dioxide equivalent)
1,357

Foundation
823

Ground floor construction

761

Frame
655

Upper floors
520

External walls

480

Building services
372

Roof
235

Roads, paths and pavings

210

Basement retaining walls

165

Internal walls and partitions

121

Floor finishes
38

Ceiling finishes
Wall finishes
Windows and external doors

12
9

Figure 12: Results of Farringdon Station embodied carbon assessment

4.2 Embodied carbon assessment of the Okehampton Business

Centre
4.2.1 About the project
The Okehampton Business Centre provides work space for start up and growing businesses in
the market town of Okehampton. The 1,200m2 building provides space for 13 offices and three
workshops, complete with communal reception, kitchen, training and meeting facilities. The site
servicing and building were completed in June 2008, for approximately 5 million.
The delivery team were charged with delivering a low impact building to meet an excellent standard
and be within the upper quartile of performance.
Halcrow Yolles conducted an embodied carbon study of the project on behalf of the South West
Regional Development Agency. The cradle-to-gate carbon assessment was carried out using the
ICE database (Hammond and Jones 2011), the UK Building Blackbook (Franklin+Andrews, 2009) and
manufacturers data where available.

METHODOLOGY TO CALCULATE EMBODIED CARBON OF MATERIALS | 19

4.2.2 Results
Total embodied carbon (tonnes carbon dioxide equivalent)
Floors

275

Roof

179

Landscaping

170

Internal walls

162

Structure

136

External walls

84

Building services

24

Stairs
Glazing & doors

18
6

Figure 13: Results of Okehampton Business Centre embodied carbon assessment

20 | METHODOLOGY TO CALCULATE EMBODIED CARBON OF MATERIALS

4.3 Embodied carbon assessment of the Leadenhall Building

4.3.1 About the project
The Leadenhall Building in the City of London will be a 51 storey, 220m development from a joint
venture between British Land and Oxford Properties. The slanting wedge shaped design features a
tapered glass faade, with a vertical envelope that is comprised of glazed curtain walling with a steel
frame core.
Davis Langdon carried out an embodied carbon assessment, which included construction
materials, transport and waste. On-site construction energy consumption was excluded. The study
demonstrated that 84 per cent of the total embodied carbon was from materials used to construct the
building.

METHODOLOGY TO CALCULATE EMBODIED CARBON OF MATERIALS | 21

4.3.2 Results
Total embodied carbon (tonnes carbon dioxide equivalent)
Frame

31,461

Foundations + Ground floor

18,773

External walls

10,158

Upper floors and stairs

9,314

Internal walls, partitions and doors

5,166

Floor finishes

452

Roof

349

Windows and external doors

323

Ceiling finishes

117

Wall finishes 46

Figure 14: Results of the Leadenhall Building embodied carbon assessment

4.4 Design of a PassivHaus semi-detached dwelling

4.4.1 About the project
A semi-detached PassivHaus design of 90.3 m2 was assessed based on life cycle assessment (LCA)
and a cradle-to-grave approach over 60 years. An LCA considers a broad range of environmental
impacts beyond carbon and, as such, the data used to model the study was taken from the ecoinvent
database (ecoinvent Centre 2010) and modelled using SimaPro LCA software. However, the results
presented in this case study consider only the cradle-to-gate embodied carbon. The PassivHaus used
a concrete ground floor, precast first floor, render finished external walls, concrete roof tiles and triple
glazed timber frame windows.
Sustain Ltd worked closely with the design team at Paul Davis + Partners and Prewett Bizley
Architects to reduce the embodied carbon of the project within the economic constraints. The
measures included wood-fibre based insulation boards for the external wall insulation (which are made
from natural material that would have a positive end of life carbon benefit if recovered for incineration),
concrete roof tiles in place of clay, and a high use of ground granulated blast furnace slag (GGBS) in
all concrete mixtures. These measures ensured that the embodied carbon of the project was far lower
than the average UK domestic dwelling.

22 | METHODOLOGY TO CALCULATE EMBODIED CARBON OF MATERIALS

4.4.2 Results
Total embodied carbon (tonnes carbon dioxide equivalent)
Ground floor

5.43

External walls

3.40

Foundations

2.86

Internal wall

2.74

First floor

1.62

Windows

1.44

Roof

1.21

Second floor

0.71

Miscellaneous
Finishes

0.65
0.43

Figure 15: Results of PassivHaus embodied carbon assessment

METHODOLOGY TO CALCULATE EMBODIED CARBON OF MATERIALS | 23

References and information sources

Atkins, Masterplanning Tool, 2010, can be

viewed at: www.atkinsglobal.com/corporateresponsibility/carbon-reduction/carbon-criticaldesign/carbon-tools
Brighton and Hove City Council, Brighton and
Hove City Council Climate Change Strategy,
Brighton and Hove City Council, 2011
British Constructional Steelwork Association,
The carbon footprint of steel, 2010
BSI, BS EN 15978:2011, Sustainability
of construction works Assessment of
environmental performance of buildings
Calculation method, BSI, London, 2011
Construction Products Association, A guide
to understanding the embodied impacts
of construction products, 2012, can be
downloaded at: www.constructionproductssustainability.org.uk/products/embodiedimpacts
Environmental Agency, Carbon calculator
for construction activities, 2011, can be
downloaded at: www.environment-agency.gov.
uk/business/sectors/136252.aspx
ecoinvent Centre, Ecoinvent Database, 2010,
can be viewed at: www.ecoinvent.org/database

Hammond G., Jones C., Inventory of Carbon

and Energy (ICE), BSRIA, 2011, can be
viewed at: www.bsria.co.uk/bookshop/books/
embodied-carbon-the-inventory-of-carbonand-energy-ice/
HM Government, Low Carbon Construction
Innovation & Growth Team: Final Report, BIS,
London, 2010
IPCC, Net Global Radiative Forcing, Global
Warming Potentials and Patterns of Forcing,
in IPCC Fourth Assessment Report: Climate
Change 2007, can be viewed at: www.ipcc.ch/
publications_and_data/ar4/wg1/en/tssts-2-5.
html
HM Government, The Building and Approved
Inspectors (Amendment) Regulations 2006,
TSO, 2006
RICS, New Rules of Measurement. Volume 1
Order of cost estimating and cost planning for
capital building works, RICS, London, 2012
Timber Research and Development
Association, Timber carbon footprints, 2009,
can be downloaded at www.trada.co.uk/
news/view/22C2AE1D-98CB-471E-841AE136E818D694/New_study_quantifies_
timbers_carbon_footprint

Franklin+Andrews, UK Building Blackbook:

The capital cost and embodied CO2 guide.
Volume 2: Major works. Hutchins 2010 edition,
Franklin+Andrews Ltd, Norwich, 2009 (978 1
901856 24 8)

24 | METHODOLOGY TO CALCULATE EMBODIED CARBON OF MATERIALS

RICS QS & Construction Standards IP 32/2012

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