Embodied Carbon

Embodied carbon is the total amount of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions associated with the extraction, processing, manufacturing, transportation and installation of materials in a product or infrastructure before it is put into use, as well as those derived from maintenance and end-of-life processes. It is particularly relevant in sectors such as construction, where it can represent up to 50% of the total climate impact.

Scope of Embodied Carbon

• Upfront carbon: pre-use emissions (A1–A5 under EN 15978).
• Maintenance carbon: replacements and repairs (B2–B5).
• End-of-life carbon: demolition, transport, recycling or landfill (C1–C4).

Calculation Methods

• Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) according to ISO 14044 and EN 15804.
• Databases: Ecoinvent, ICE, Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs).
• Construction tools: OneClick LCA, Athena, Tally.

Key Indicators

• kg CO₂e/m² of construction (buildings).
• kg CO₂e/t of material (steel, concrete, glass).
• % reduction vs. baseline (LEED, BREEAM standards).

Regulations and Standards

• France’s RE2020 and the Netherlands’ MPG regulations limiting embodied carbon.
• EN 15978: environmental performance assessment of buildings.
• RIBA 2030 Climate Challenge: carbon-intensity targets < 500 kg CO₂e/m².

Relationship to Other Concepts

• Operational carbon: emissions generated during the use phase; embodied carbon covers the pre-use and end-of-life stages.
• Product decarbonisation and ecodesign: strategies aimed at minimising embodied emissions.

Reducing embodied carbon is essential for achieving climate neutrality, especially in material-intensive sectors. Measuring and optimising it from the design phase helps avoid emissions that cannot be mitigated later on.