The construction industry world wide is facing mounting pressure to carry out a whole life carbon assessment (WLCA) as part of the design process, particularly for large scale projects, along the lines of the Greater London Authority. Currently, the carbon accounting market is like the wild west, lacking a consistent approach to measurement and with carbon data bases in a mess. Five different approaches will yield five different results. Some proponents have suggested that government should mandate WLCAs which although laudable is currently unrealistic due in part, to, a lack of skills and the problems discussed above. In a recent RICS / BCIS webinar mainly attended by quantity surveyors, almost 90% stated they had never been asked to carry out a WLCA, although over 60% believed it would enhance their professional reputation to offer this service.
The approach to calculating embodied carbon is to multiply the estimated quantity of each material or product by a carbon factor (normally measured in terms of kilogram of carbon dioxide equivalent /square meter). However, unlike measuring quantities there’s no consistent application of the methodology on how to measure embodied carbon and what's more, there is a lack of available consistent data. In an effort to bring some order to the situation, the RICS in October 2023 introduced the Whole Life Carbon Assessment Standard (WLCA) for the Built Environment, followed with a revision in 2024. Of course, alongside a measurement standard, accurate data is essential and in October 2023 the BCIS launched the Built Environment Carbon Database (BECD) similar in a way to the BCIS standard form of cost analysis used for cost planning. My concern about carbon accounting is that it was challenging enough to get quantity surveyors and the industry to adopt the new rules of measurement suite, let alone another unfamiliar process. The RICS Assessment Standard and much of the other material highlighted in this blog are open access so please check them out along with the explanatory tools and videos, as Napoleon once said 'the sooner we start the sooner we finish.' One thing is for sure, the industry cannot bury its head in the carbon accounting sand any longer.
Coming soon on duncancartlidgeonline a video outlining the challenges in quantifying embodied and operational carbon.
Duncan Cartlidge FRICS
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