Construction Carbon | How it works

The carbon score™ process

For developers who would like to score & neutralise each project's embodied carbon consistently and credibly.
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For financiers requiring a simple and standardised third-party accreditation for funding terms.

For assessors who need to ensure their whole life carbon reports are verified by a third party.

Our product is a carbon scoring and Net Zero verification process that provides credible, standardised comparison of all your assets’ upfront embodied carbon, coupled with recommendations for reduction and simple, transparent offsetting based on leading international guidance.

We have coordinated everything developers and financiers need to achieve Net Zero carbon for construction accreditation in one simple, managed process.

The Whole Life Carbon (WLC) methodology we use aligns with the guidance set out in EN15978 and the RICS professional Statement (2017) (source). This methodology is recommended in the UK Green Building council: Net Zero carbon buildings: A framework definition' (source).

Our process set out below is developed with a panel of leading experts and we are working towards international standard ISO 14065 which is the principles and requirements for bodies validating and verifying environmental information.

Step 1

ASSess

INITIAL ESTIMATIONS

Answer a few simple questions about any project, and you will receive an estimate of the upfront embodied carbon. This acts as a starting point on your net zero carbon journey.

Get estimate

‘As designed’ assessment

Through our network of consultants, we arrange for a verified project carbon accounting, benchmark and hotspots survey.

This is a whole life carbon assessment (LCA) report which includes materials, transport, in-life replacements, energy and water use and scenario-based end of life impacts in line with EN15978/ISO 14044 and the RICS professional statement (2017).

Data required (if available)

Bill of Quantities - particularly steel and concrete.
Specification and/or schedules.
Drawings
Cost plan and construction narrative with details of any unusual components.

Deliverables

Life-cycle carbon results, methodology description, benchmark & hotspot survey (where the highest carbon intensities are). To ensure greater consistency and standardisation the report is put through a peer review and data quality checklist.

Step 2

Reduce

REDUCTION Strategy

Project carbon optimisation strategies - developing proposals with the aim for carbon reductions to achieve reductions in embodied carbon, meeting local and international targets.

‘As built’ assessment

The final scheme is checked and verified against the ‘as designed’ calculations to calculate ‘as built’ emissions.

This may involve an onsite visit to check what materials have arrived and left from site.

Step 3

offset

‘upfront’ (A1-A5) carbon

The ‘upfront’ (A1-A5) carbon emissions are offset and held by Construction carbon on a Gold Standard registry or other registry that has been specified by the client and approved by the UKGBC or local green building council.

VERIFICATION

We verify that the offsets purchased have been retired and these are displayed on an accessible registry.

Step 4

REPORT

Reporting

In line with UKGBC guidelines we publish the complete results, this includes the assessment(s), reduction initiatives, carbon score, and offset details on a project webpage. The verification that the project that is ‘carbon neutral’ or ‘net zero’ carbon is displayed on a Construction Carbon webspage for the project.

Your Carbon Score is verified. Net Zero for construction is achieved.

We score the upfront embodied carbon efficiency of projects against the recently adopted LETI, RIBA and emerging benchmarks, enabling carbon performance to be communicated and controlled.

Our scoring process allows developers and financiers to consistently compare their upfront embodied carbon against those of their peers at the design stage of a project. Using our platform and process they can benchmark and compare assets' carbon scores. We created this process to help you navigate your construction project to a Net Zero world.

Case Studies

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A simple 4 step process to net zero

The carbon score™ process