In today’s climate-conscious world, understanding the full environmental impact of your buildings and infrastructure has never been more important. As you navigate the path toward net zero, one crucial element often overlooked is embodied carbon – the carbon footprint of materials throughout their entire lifecycle.
What Is Embodied Carbon and Why Does It Matter?
Embodied carbon refers to the emissions associated with materials and construction processes throughout the whole lifecycle of a building or infrastructure. Unlike operational carbon (emissions from running your building), embodied carbon is the carbon footprint of a material – from extraction and manufacturing to transportation, installation, maintenance and eventual disposal.
Considering that approximately 11% of global carbon emissions come from building materials and construction, you understand why addressing embodied carbon is critical for achieving your net zero ambitions.
The Growing Importance of Embodied Carbon Assessment
As you work toward your sustainability goals, you’re likely already focusing on operational efficiency. However, embodied carbon can represent up to 50% of a building’s total carbon footprint over its lifespan. Without addressing this significant portion, your net zero strategy remains incomplete.
An embodied carbon assessment measures how many greenhouse gases are released through the supply chain of a material – from production to use. This comprehensive approach provides valuable insights that enable informed decision-making throughout your project’s lifecycle.
How Waldeck’s Embodied Carbon Assessment Services Help You
At Waldeck, we understand the complexities of reducing your carbon footprint. Our embodied carbon assessment services provide the clarity and guidance to make meaningful progress toward your sustainability targets. Our approach includes:
Comprehensive Embodied Carbon Modelling and Reporting
Our experts conduct detailed assessments across all project stages (A1-A5, B1-B5, C1-C4), providing you with consistent and accurate carbon measurement in the built environment. Your embodied carbon assessment report will highlight opportunities for reduction and outline actionable recommendations.
Advanced Embodied Carbon Assessment Tools
You’ll benefit from our use of industry-leading embodied carbon calculators and tools. We leverage resources like the Embodied Carbon in Construction Calculator (EC3) tool – a free and easy-to-use tool that allows benchmarking, assessment and reductions in embodied carbon. We also use the Inventory of Carbon and Energy (the ICE Database), an embodied carbon database for building materials that ensures accurate calculations.
Whole Life Carbon Assessment
Looking beyond just construction phases, our whole life carbon assessment considers the entire lifecycle of your project. This approach helps you understand embodied carbon and your development’s complete carbon story, enabling more effective long-term planning.
Why Waldeck’s Embodied Carbon Services Make a Difference
When you work with Waldeck, you partner with a team that truly understands what embodied carbon in buildings means for your business and sustainability goals. Our approach is always tailored to your specific needs.
Material Selection Expertise
Our specialists help you evaluate the embodied carbon of construction materials list options, comparing alternatives to find the most sustainable solutions without compromising quality or performance. You can significantly reduce your project’s carbon footprint by making informed choices early in the design process.
Integration with Net Zero Strategy
Your embodied carbon assessment doesn’t exist in isolation – it’s a crucial component of your broader net zero consultancy needs. We seamlessly integrate our findings into your overall sustainability strategy, ensuring alignment with your organisational goals.
Practical and Implementable Solutions
Understanding your embodied carbon footprint is just the beginning. We provide practical strategies for reduction that consider your budget, timeline and performance requirements. Our recommendations are always realistic and achievable.
The Waldeck Embodied Carbon Assessment Process
When you choose Waldeck for your embodied carbon assessment, you experience a thorough, supportive process.
- Initial consultation: We take time to understand your project goals and sustainability targets.
- Data collection: Our team gathers comprehensive information about your materials, construction methods and project specifications.
- Detailed analysis: Using our embodied carbon footprint calculator and industry databases, we analyse the carbon impact of every element.
- Optimisation recommendations: We identify opportunities to reduce embodied carbon through material substitution, design optimisation, and improvements in construction methodology.
- Implementation support: Our experts guide you through implementing changes, ensuring they align with your project objectives.
- Ongoing monitoring: We provide tools for continued tracking of your embodied carbon metrics throughout the project lifecycle.
Beyond Assessment: Comprehensive Sustainability Services
Your journey to net zero extends beyond embodied carbon. Waldeck’s comprehensive sustainability services complement your embodied carbon strategy.
Decarbonisation Strategy
Our decarbonisation approach enables you to comply with Government legislation, see economic improvement on existing assets through efficiencies and the thermal envelope, and reduce ongoing maintenance schedules following refurbishment.
Dynamic Simulation Modelling
Through advanced thermal modelling techniques, we help you optimise building performance and further reduce your carbon footprint.
Sustainable Materials Selection
Our experts guide you in selecting materials with lower embodied carbon impacts while maintaining performance standards and budget considerations.
Modern Methods of Construction
We leverage innovative construction techniques that can significantly reduce the embodied carbon footprint of your projects.
BREEAM Consultancy
Our BREEAM expertise ensures your projects meet recognised sustainability standards, enhancing your environmental performance and market position.
The Future of Embodied Carbon
As embodied carbon reporting becomes increasingly crucial in regulatory frameworks and corporate sustainability commitments, staying ahead of the curve provides you with both environmental and competitive advantages. By addressing embodied carbon now, you position your organisation as a leader in sustainable development.
Your Next Steps
Understanding your embodied carbon footprint for your business is essential in today’s climate-conscious environment. Whether starting a new development or looking to assess and improve existing assets, Waldeck’s embodied carbon assessment services provide insights and strategies for making meaningful progress toward your net zero goals.
Our knowledgeable team is ready to guide you through every step of the process, ensuring you receive the highest quality support and advice.
Contact Waldeck to discuss how our embodied carbon life cycle assessment services can help you achieve your sustainability ambitions.