“Whole Life Carbon” (WLC) refers to the total greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions associated with a building or infrastructure project throughout its entire lifecycle. WLC plays a crucial role in promoting sustainability in the construction industry. This concept includes all carbon emissions from the beginning to the end of the structure’s life, ensuring a comprehensive understanding of its environmental impact and promoting sustainable construction practices. Specifically, Whole Life Carbon encompasses:
- Embodied Carbon:
- Upfront Carbon: Emissions from the extraction, manufacturing, transportation, and installation of building materials.
- Construction Process Emissions: Carbon emissions produced during the construction process.
- Maintenance and Replacement: Emissions from the maintenance, repair, and replacement of materials over the building’s lifecycle.
- Operational Carbon:
- Operational Energy Use: Emissions from the energy consumed during the use of the building, such as heating, cooling, lighting, and other energy needs.
- Operational Water Use: Emissions related to the energy used for the water supply, heating, and waste treatment.
- End-of-Life Carbon:
- Demolition and Disposal: Emissions from the demolition of the building and the disposal or recycling of materials at the end of its lifecycle.
How Whole Life Carbon is assessed: The assessment of Whole Life Carbon involves a detailed analysis of all emissions at each stage of the building’s lifecycle. This process includes:
- Life Cycle Assessment (LCA): A systematic evaluation of environmental impacts associated with all stages of a building’s life, from raw material extraction through manufacturing, construction, use, and end-of-life disposal or recycling.
- Carbon Footprint Analysis: Calculating the total greenhouse gas emissions produced by the building throughout its lifecycle, often using tools like Building Information Modelling (BIM) to track emissions data accurately.
- Energy Performance Modelling: Evaluating the building’s energy use during its operational phase to identify opportunities for improving energy efficiency and reducing operational carbon.
- Material Impact Studies: Analyzing the environmental impact of building materials to select those with lower embodied carbon.
Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs) are used in the assessment process, they are standardized documents that provide transparent and comparable information about the environmental impact of products, including building materials. EPDs are crucial as they offer detailed data on the embodied carbon of materials, helping architects, engineers, and builders make informed decisions to minimize the carbon footprint of construction projects through the correct product choices.
There are many initiatives aimed at reducing carbon emissions in the built environment. In the UK, one such initiative is the Whole Life Carbon Roadmap UK. It sets out a pathway for achieving net-zero emissions by 2050, supporting sustainable architecture and green building certifications. Understanding and implementing the principles of Whole Life Carbon is crucial for meeting these targets and ensuring environmentally responsible and resource-efficient building practices.
Overall, for the pursuit of sustainability within the construction sector, Whole Life Carbon thinking and assessing is crucial for the progress that we all want to achieve in the coming decades and beyond.