Embodied carbon is fast becoming a hot topic in the UK, especially for construction. Sustain offer the same total solution for your embodied carbon assessments as for the rest of our Environmental Accounting activities (i.e. carbon footprint and LCA projects). We start from the initial assessment of your requirements, setting the scope and boundaries of study, data collection, and embodied carbon calculation. We then identify the "hot-spots", and introduce an impact improvement programme. Finally we offer guidance on the dissemination to stakeholders.
Embodied carbon is very closely related to carbon footprinting. In fact the main difference between the two is that the term carbon footprint can also be used to discuss operational carbon requirements, for example heating and lighting a building, or operation of a power tool. Whereas embodied carbon can only be used in the context of materials, for example all activities related to the construction of a building, including the production of materials.
Embodied carbon can be defined as the amount of carbon released from material extraction, transport, manufacturing, and related activities. This may be calculated from cradle to (factory) gate, cradle to (installation) site, or (ideally) from cradle to grave.
With ongoing efforts to reduce the operational carbon of new and existing buildings, for example through improved legislation and standards and the prospect of 2016 zero carbon homes, embodied carbon is fast gaining importance.
We offer the depth of our expertise and services for embodied carbon assessments, which may, for example, be for a single product, a building refurbishment, or indeed a full construction project. This may include option appraisals, benchmarking exercises, or comparative assessments. We also offer bespoke embodied carbon tool creation services, or can road test and critique your embodied carbon tools and make recommendations for improvement. We also have expertise in PAS 2050, product carbon footprinting and Life Cycle Assessments.
Our depth of experience enables us to deliver embodied carbon assessments, carbon footprints and complex LCAs for the full life cycle of products with "cradle to grave" assessment of multiple environmental impacts. Such holistic assessments include the depth of our expertise and services on the operational aspects of new and existing buildings.
