The project aims to bridge the gap between whole life carbon (WLC) theory and its practical implementation in assessing
life cycle carbon emissions of buildings, by developing a common WLC calculation framework, including certification, to be
used across the building industry. Currently there is goof background in WLC principles and methodology but a lack of
convergence in their interpretation within the actual calculations, bringing about significant variations in the results. These
discrepancies lead to low credibility that prevents the wide adoption of the WLC approach. The project brings together two
specialist carbon consultants, two highly respected interdisciplinary design firm, the RICS and the University of Cambridge
to devise a valid carbon calculation methodology which both complies with current international standards and is
economically viable for commercial clients. The agreed methodology will ensure consistent outputs and will boost trust in
the calculation of embodied carbon of buildings, encouraging further take up of CO2 benchmarking by clients, and opening
up the way to resource efficiency and carbon reduction. Besides tackling climate change, successful delivery of this project
will also leverage UK competitiveness in the growing sustainable buildings market and stimulate markets in low carbon
construction products and carbon consultancy services.

Potential Impact:
Who will benefit from this research?

From within the construction industry, the beneficiaries of the research will be specialist carbon consultants; designers and contractors; developers and clients; and UK manufacturers of low carbon construction products.

The development of a usable and clear methodology for embodied carbon calculations will also support UK policy-makers and local planning authorities.
How will they benefit from this research?

For the group of construction industry beneficiaries identified above, the research will enable increased competitiveness on a global scale, provide added value through new consultancy skills, and increase the technical job market for graduates as embodied carbon consultancy grows.

Specialist carbon consultants will see their businesses expand through greater industry recognition and confidence in their services. Designers and contractors will be enabled to demonstrate their knowledge of low whole life carbon building in order to win work in the UK and abroad, at the vanguard of an international movement for more environmentally conscious built environment. Developers and clients will be able to demonstrate quantitatively the carbon savings of their projects, for marketing, planning requirements, Corporate Social Responsibility and environmental accounting, or their Carbon
Reduction Commitments. UK manufacturers of construction materials and products will see an increased market share
through the wider application of the methodology, enabling them to demonstrate their carbon impacts and compete in an
increasingly carbon-sensitive international market.
The development of a usable and clear methodology for embodied carbon calculations will also support UK policy-makers
in decision making for coming iterations of Building Regulations, giving them confidence that embodied carbon can be
reasonably included in the increasing requirements for carbon reduction from buildings. Local Planning Authorities will
similarly be enabled to develop policies on targeted levels for embodied carbon from new development and refurbishment.
The staff working on this research project will increase their own specialist expertise in the area of embodied carbon,
increase their market visibility, ensure that their services are compatible with the European and international standards, and thus be enabled to grow their businesses.