Oct 19 2007
As house builders prepare for the 2016 target of zero carbon homes, The Edinburgh Centre for Carbon Management (ECCM) has developed a free and easy-to-use Building Materials Carbon Calculator, which will analyse the embodied CO2 in the materials used in a building. The tool is the first of its kind and will help decision makers select the best material to minimise a building’s carbon footprint.
Richard Tipper, Director at ECCM explained: “This simple to use and understand tool is designed to clear the haze surrounding calculating a building’s materials footprint. We receive lots of enquiries from the construction industry, all wanting to understand and analyse the CO2 emissions of the materials used in building. We developed a tool that allows users to type in the quantities for the materials used in each element of a building and then assess the associated CO2 using scientifically backed emissions data.”
The calculator will help clients, architects, builders and developers gain a clearer understanding of the environmental impact of their projects at the concept stage. It also encourages comparison with alternative materials to lower the total CO2 emissions of a building’s materials’ footprint.
Architects White Design used the tool recently when working on the recently unveiled Re-Thinking School at Offsite07, The project aimed to produce a low carbon, sustainable learning environment for pupils.
Craig White, Director at White Design said: “A low embodied CO2 footprint was one of the main drivers for the project. The carbon calculator indicated that the project was actually carbon negative – unheard of in most modern school building – thanks to careful materials selection and design. We’re very proud of the 40.9 tonnes of CO2 saved.”
The free tool can be downloaded from: http://www.eccm.uk.com/calculators.html