Building the Foundations for Consistent Embodied Carbon

A new UKGBC member-led resource is helping to bring clarity and confidence to early-stage carbon modelling.

The government appears to be intensifying scrutiny on the environmental impact of construction, as demonstrated by the commissioning of the recent AECOM report Consideration of Embodied Carbon in New Buildings. The report underscores the urgent need for consistency in measuring whole-life carbon emissions.

At UKGBC, we’ve been working closely with our members – consultants, engineers, quantity surveyors, Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) specialists and more – through our forums to better understand challenges, share ideas, and develop leading solutions. This blog highlights how, together with our members, we’re working to bring greater clarity, consistency and confidence to early-stage embodied carbon modelling, helping the sector prepare for future regulations and move forward with confidence.

The Challenge of Inconsistent Early-Stage Carbon Modelling

Across the UK’s built environment sector, one issue stands out – the lack of consistent, centralised data for construction materials.

During early design stages (RIBA Stages 2 and 3), the demand for embodied carbon data is growing, yet practitioners often rely on fragmented databases or assumptions. The result? Inconsistent and incomparable carbon calculations.

Even commercial WLC tools, while extensive, can overwhelm new LCA practitioners with thousands of materials options and little guidance on which to use. This slows down assessments, introduces variability, and makes benchmarking difficult.

Developing a Shared Materials Database

Within our forums, consensus quickly emerged: we need a simple, shared, generic materials database. So, we pooled our collective knowledge to create a pilot resource of generic construction materials and their associated Global Warming Potential (GWP) values.

Antonia Vavanou, Senior Consultant at Arup, reflects on the importance of this work:

With so many variations in generic materials and loose specifications at early design stages, the need for a consistent baseline is urgent. By convening those on the front line of Whole Life Carbon modelling, we’re not just building a database, we’re building alignment, clarity, and a shared foundation for credible carbon performance across the UK built environment.”

The resource aims to:

Support

early-stage modelling by providing a ready-to-use resource.

Improve

transparency and consistency across projects and organisations.

Lay the groundwork

for standardised WLC modelling across the UK built environment.

Benefits of the Pilot Resource

Clarity and consistency across WLC studies.

Faster assessments at RIBA Stages 2 and 3.

Better benchmarking between projects and across the industry.

Integration potential with LCA software and digital tools.

Challenges and Considerations

We recognise that this is an early prototype rather than a finished product. The materials included are generic rather than project-specific, and the resource will require regular updates to stay relevant as standards, products and data evolve. Questions around ownership and long-term governance remain to be resolved. We share these realities openly because they underline the importance of ongoing dialogue and collaboration as the resource develops.

The pilot resource currently covers a number of key materials common to most building and infrastructure projects, including concrete, reinforcement, steel, masonry, timber, aluminium, plasterboard, insulation, aggregates and other granular materials, glass, coatings, asphalt and bitumen.

Stacks of materials ready for reuse. Used to demonstrate an instance where material passports would be useful.

Miguel Angel Lopez, Principal Sustainability Engineer at WSP, said:

The absence of standardisation in carbon values for generic materials has made it difficult to compare projects reliably. This work is a grassroots response to that gap, establishing a consistent baseline that supports credible assessments and offers clear guidance for both newcomers and seasoned professionals across the built environment.”

Explore the pilot resource here

Get Involved and Help Shape the Next Version

This pilot is just the start. We’re inviting feedback from UKGBC members and others across the industry on:

Expanding the range of materials and products included.

Improving accuracy and usability.

Establishing governance, updating, and version control.

If you work in the built environment, we’d love you to trial the resource and share your experience. Email your thoughts and suggestions to anz@ukgbc.org.

By working collectively, we can create a more consistent and transparent foundation for measuring, and ultimately mitigating, embodied carbon in the buildings we design, construct, and retrofit.

This pilot resource is one small but important step towards that goal. We hope you’ll join us in shaping it.

Built by the Industry, for the Industry

This pilot resource was co-created through one of the UKGBC’s forums, with invaluable input from professionals across the UK’s built environment. We gratefully acknowledge contributions from individuals representing the following organisations: Arup; AtkinsRealis; Bennetts Associates; Buro Happold; CBRE; Currie & Brown; GCP Chartered Architects; Laing O’Rourke; Max Fordham LLP; Mott MacDonald; PLP Architecture; Skidmore, Owings & Merrill (SOM); Turner & Townsend; Verte Ltd; WS.

Join Us

UKGBC forums are an exclusive benefit of our membership and one of many opportunities for members to collaborate, network and co-create practical tools for the industry. We run a large number of topic-specific forums throughout the year. Find out more about UKGBC membership here and about our forums here.

Advancing Net Zero

Created in 2018 as part of a World Green Building Council former global Advancing Net Zero programme, UKGBC’s Advancing Net Zero programme has a mission to lead the UK’s transition to a net zero built environment. It has produced leading guidance such as the Net Zero Carbon Buildings Framework and the Net Zero Whole Life Carbon Roadmap, whilst working with organisations and experts across the industry.
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