Facing up to embodied carbon in façades

The UK’s goal of reducing net emissions of greenhouse gases by 100% by 2050 (relative to 1990) has prompted industries and organisations to set carbon reduction targets to reduce emissions. To quantify the operational and embodied carbon of buildings and infrastructure accurately, life-cycle assessments (LCA) calculations are required. Furthermore, with reductions in operational carbon in construction because of changes to legislation and the decarbonisation of the energy Grid, embodied carbon now forms a greater percentage of emissions associated with buildings. Consequently, it requires more detailed quantification to better understand emissions and how they can be reduced.