Open source tool allows comparison of embodied carbon emissions from construction materials

The Carbon Leadership Forum has released the Embodied Carbon in Construction Calculator (“EC3”) tool.

The open source tool is for architects, engineers, owners, construction companies, building material suppliers and policy makers to compare and reduce embodied carbon emissions from construction materials.

Initial development was jointly funded by Skanska and Microsoft, with more than 30 industry leaders contributing to the effort. “Increasingly the building industry and owners are becoming aware that materials matter, and are seeking ways to evaluate the emissions associated with making these materials, but they have not had a reliable or efficient way to compare them,” according to a news release.

The EC3 tool simplifies this complex problem and will allow users to easily see the embodied carbon impacts of the materials before consumption, the release says. Details on the EC3 tool will be made available November 2019. The product will be demonstrated at Greenbuild, November 19-22, 2019 in Atlanta.

New ideas in design and constructability are radically changing how metal systems are used as roofing for commercial and institutional buildings. Behind the investment in these new kinds of expressions and construction approaches is a growing interest in improved performance and reduced environmental impact. Metal roofing systems can cut cooling and heating loads significantly, according to the EPA.