Data Collection

Sources of Data on Embodied Energy and Embodied Carbon in Materials

ICE Database

For accurate calculation of the A1-A3 emissions, this project relies on the Inventory of Carbon and Energy (ICE) database developed by the University of Bath in the United Kingdom. More than 50% of the cases selected databases or software provided by credible universities or research institutions, among which Ecoinvent and ICE databases were the most popular (Pan et al., 2021). Circular Ecology, an environmental consulting firm, highlights the ICE database's significance in carbon footprinting. With over 15,000 users worldwide, the database is widely utilized and referenced in various reports, carbon calculators, lectures, journals, books, and more. Initially focused on construction materials, the ICE database covers various materials used across different sectors. This versatility enables its application in calculating the carbon footprint of products, buildings, and supply chains across various industries.

Drawing data from various global sources, the ICE database incorporates international data for materials like steel, plastics, and aluminum. Based on UK standards, this data is tailored to a UK perspective, including specific material consumption mixtures and converting embodied energy to embodied carbon. Widely utilized in calculators, some freely accessible, the ICE database's format lends itself well to integrating such tools.

EC3

For accurate expansion of the A1-A3 emissions, this project relies on EC3 database（EC3 - Building Transparency, 2024). In markets where EPD data currently exists, Building Transparency observes 30% or more reductions in carbon emissions resulting from using EC3 to select and procure low-carbon materials. EC3 has provided critical sustainability data to several noteworthy projects. Including : Microsoft’s Puget Sound Project and Amazon’s Virginia Headquarters

2050 Materials

For accurate expansion of the A1-A3 emissions of products, this project relies on 2050 materials (2050 Materials, n.d.) .

Environmental Product Declaration

The enhanced version of this calculator compiles primary data on the energy fuel split of construction materials obtained directly from material vendors to assess the embodied carbon within the "Cradle-to-Site" life cycle boundary. This data is sourced from various channels such as sustainability reports, annual reports, product catalogs, websites, environmental product declaration (EPD) reports, or through distributed questionnaires.

Embodied carbon is increasingly becoming the major metric for assessing the carbon footprint of construction materials, compared to embodied energy. In this database, the embodied carbon values with a known country of origin are included after verification. These values were compiled from Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs) issued by material vendors and verified data available from sources: Embodied Carbon in Construction Calculator (EC3) tool (EC3 - Building Transparency, 2024), 2050 Materials (2050 Materials, n.d.) and CIC Carbon Emission Tool (CIC Carbon Assessment Tool, n.d.).

Currently, the database consists of 400+ datasets on embodied carbon of construction materials and some ith their energy fuel split, categorized into four catalogs: structural, non-structural, plant-based and recycled materials.

Sources of Data on Emission Factor for Different Fuels in Various Nations

Emission factors for various fuels across multiple countries, including coal, liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), oil, natural gas, and electricity, are collected using data from government agencies, the IPCC database, and relevant literature.

Sources of Data on Transportation-Related Carbon Emission Factors and Transportation Distance

The LCA approach provides a highly precise and locally tailored estimation of GHG emissions from construction materials, owing to the detailed region-specific nature of life cycle inventory data and the diverse construction activities across different regions. Addressing A4 embodied carbon post-localization involves meticulous quantification of transportation-related carbon emissions, considering factors such as material weight, transportation distance, and means of transport.

Means of transport-related carbon emission factors is derived from GB/T 51366 standards from China, while transport distance data are sourced from the distance calculator (http://www.distancefromto.net/). This emphasis on local specificity ensures the accuracy and relevance of our calculations to your specific context.

References:

2050 Materials. (n.d.). App.2050-Materials.com. https://app.2050-materials.com/

BSI. British Standards Institution. (2011). BS ISO EN 15978:2011. Sustainability of construction works - assessment of environmental performance of buildings - calculation method.

BSI. British Standards Institution. (2019). BS EN 15804:2012+A2:2019. Sustainability of construction works. Environmental product declarations. Core rules for the product category of construction products.

CIC Carbon Assessment Tool. (n.d.). Cat.cic.hk. https://cat.cic.hk/

Circular Ecology.Embodied Carbon - The ICE Database. Retrieved December 18, 2023, from http://www.circularecology.com/embodied-energy-and- carbon-footprint-database.html#.VUZxqLlTH4Y

EC3 - Building Transparency. (2024, November 20). Building Transparency. https://www.buildingtransparency.org/tools/ec3/

Moncaster, A. M., & Symons, K. E. (2013). A method and tool for “cradle to grave” embodied carbon and energy impacts of UK buildings in compliance with the new TC350 standards. Energy and Buildings, 66, 514–523.

Pan, W., & Teng, Y. (2021). A systematic investigation into the methodological variables of embodied carbon assessment of buildings. Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, 141, 110840.

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