Methodology to Calculate Embodied Carbon in a Building S Construction Life Cycle 2Nd Version
Methodology to calculate embodied carbon in a building’s construction life cycle – 2nd version Guidance Note – project outline
1. Aim of Project
There are 3 distinct aims for the Methodology to calculate embodied carbon in a building’s construction life cycle – 2nd version Guidance Note:
· To be accepted industry wide globally as the standard methodology for the measurement of carbon embodied during the design and construction process
· To be referred to by Governments globally where they have asked for embodied carbon to be measured and to use the RICS Methodology
· To up skill our members to be able to understand the concepts and measurement of embodied carbon
Key messages
Measurement of CO2 is key to meeting the reduction targets set by various governments.
The built environment is a significant contributor to the overall emission of CO2 with some countries having property CO2 levels of up to 45% of the total.
The methodology, based on the Pareto principle, for the calculation of the embodied carbon emissions for a building, is designed to enable practitioners to calculate the significant proportion of CO2 emitted by the construction process through a simple step by step guide on how to conduct an embodied carbon assessment and mitigation plan.
The global methodology will facilitate industry standardisation and benchmarking of carbon assessments through an industry agreed data structure based on the categorisation set out in the RICS New Rules of Measurement.
2. Type of standard
Guidance Note
Definition:
“Standard, established by consensus and approved by RICS that provides users with recommendations for accepted good practice as followed by competent and conscientious practitioners”
3. Scope
This Guidance Note will be part of the Black Book Suite of guidance issued by the QS & Construction Professional Group Board.
This paper builds on RICS’ Methodology to calculate embodied carbon of materials Information Paper (published in July 2012), and widens its scope by 1) turning this Information Paper’s UK recommendations into global recommendations and 2) extend the measurement methodology in order to cover whole carbon accounting across the life cycle of a building.
The different stages of the building’s life cycle will be broken down as follows:
· design
· materials and product manufacture (already published as version1 IP)
· distribution
· assembly on site
· carbon sequestration
The Guidance Note will include the following information:
1. The importance of developing a methodological mitigation plan and benefits of new build versus refurbishment (introduction?)
2. A carbon assessment data structure following a standard data structure where possible (RICS NRM, WRAP database?) to facilitate standardisation and benchmarking with the main emphasis on the high volume/weight building elements, e.g. Foundations, Ground Floor Construction, Frame, Upper Floors, Roof, External Walls.
3. Calculations methodologies, tools and data sources for measuring carbon during the design and construction stages of the project.
4. A step by step guide on how to conduct an assessment.
5. Case studies
4. Fit with Strategy
Why is this project important?
Buildings contribute over 40% of operational carbon in most developed countries. Achieving the Climate Change Act targets will require considerable improvements to be made to the energy efficiency of today’s existing buildings, which will make up around 70% of the building stock at 2050.
As energy efficiency improvements and building standards tighten over time, the operational carbon generated during the lifetime of a building will reduce. However, the carbon embodied in building during construction or refurbishment is often not calculated, although it has an immediate effect on the environment and should form part of the decision making process e.g. when considering whether to refurbish a property or demolish and go for a new build.
The potential importance of the role of embodied carbon in carbon reduction was recognised in the UK government’s final report published in late 2010 on Low Carbon Construction, which included the recommendation ‘that as soon as a sufficiently rigorous assessment system is in place, the UK Treasury should introduce 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’.
RICS volunteered to lead the development of a standard method for measuring embodied carbon for use as a design tool.
Why should it be done now?
This project is a response to government recommendations (see Why is this project important for details).
Does it support some other part of RICS work?
This project:
- Will use the same data structure as that used for the RICS New Rules of Measurement (being developed by RICS QS & Construction Professional Group).
- Tie in with BCIS work databases
5. The Market
Approximate market size:
RICS
RICS QS & Construction Professional Group members: Approximately 40,000*
RICS Building surveying Professional Group members: Approximately 22,000*
RICS Project management Professional Group members: Approximately 29,000*
World
Cost consultants: Approximately 100,000+
Civil engineers: Approximately 500,000+
Architects: Approximately 200,000+
Primary markets:
Quantity surveyors, building surveyors, project managers, civil engineers (ICE members), architects, construction cost consultants
Secondary markets:
Facilities managers, planning and development professionals, design professionals (RIBA and CIAT members and equivalent non UK), building services engineers (CIBSE members), Policy makers (European and World Regional governments and Local authorities)
Further development/reuse opportunities:
Could include the following (but to be scoped out by relevant RICS department;
- awareness raising
- training and CPD
- software to support members with implementing the standard (e.g. drafting contracts or agreement forms, producing reports or surveys, managing complex calculations and estimates according to the standard.)
- mobile apps to support or extend existing software products
- isurv CPD tools to support ongoing professional development on the back of a new standard e.g. Q&A documents for timed-reading sessions that earn CPD points for the reader
- isurv chapters, sections or channels giving legal or practitioner commentary, links to associated legislation, sample letters or form templates, process charts to explain new procedures, related news features etc
- books to illustrate e.g. providing Q&As, a legal perspective etc.
Competition:
Who are our competitors in this area?
Mainly UK
UKGBC have set up a committee on Carbon database development on which RICS have a representation on (Martin Russell-Croucher).
RICS internal feedback: This is complimentary to this guidance note
RIBA publish a series of short, simple climate change toolkits, available free for members which include the following;
- Climate Change Briefing
- Carbon Literacy Briefing
- Principles of Low Carbon Design and Refurbishment
- Low Carbon Standards and Assessment Methods
- Low Carbon Design Tools
- Skills for Low Carbon Buildings
- Designing for Flood Risk
- Whole Life Assessment for Low Carbon Design
See link: http://www.architecture.com/FindOutAbout/Sustainabilityandclimatechange/ClimateChange/Toolkits.aspx
Outside of UK, the main activity in this area is academic
What other standards/guidance is currently in development or available that may be relevant to the scope of this project?
One of the recommendations of the UK Low Carbon Construction by the Innovation and Growth Team (IGT) was ‘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’.
The Green Book is HM Treasury guidance for Central Government, setting out a framework for the appraisal and evaluation of all policies, programs and projects.
http://www.hm-treasury.gov.uk/data_greenbook_index.htm
6. Project Team
This list is to be updated with representatives from RICS world regions.
Professional Group Contact: /Martin Russell-Croucher
Standard Developer /
Nathalie Bellanger
Technical Author: / Sean Lockie
Credentials: / BA, BPlan, MSc, BIFM, MRICS
Director, sustainability.
Faithful & Gould
Other contributors: / Piotr Berebecki, Faithful & Gould
Douglas Adams, Faithful & Gould
Andy Green / Faithful & Gould / NRM author
Anna Surgenor / UKGBC / Senior Technical Advisor
Craig Jones / Sustain / Senior Associate, Environmental Accounting
Georgia Gosse / Davis Langdon / Senior Consultant, Sustainability Management Consulting
Graham Watts / CIC / Chief Executive
James Fiske / Franklin Andrews/Mott Macdonald / Head of Economic Research (Chair)
Jeff Maxted / BLP Insurance / Technical Director
Jerry Percy / Gleeds / Head of Sustainability
John Connaugton / Davis Langdon / Director
John Davies / Davis Langdon / Sustainability Associate
Matt Fulford / Sustain / Director
Jim Wiltshire / WRAP
Roger Hitchen / CIBSE