Embodied Carbon Analysis
Understanding and quantifying lifecycle carbon emissions in buildings
Your Progress
Section 2 of 5Whole-Life Carbon Assessment
Embodied carbon encompasses all emissions from extracting raw materials, manufacturing, transporting, constructing, maintaining, and demolishing a building—everything except operational energy. As buildings become more energy-efficient, embodied carbon's share of total lifecycle emissions grows from 10% to 50%+ for net-zero buildings. Understanding this lifecycle perspective is critical: optimizing only operational energy while using carbon-intensive materials misses half the problem.
Lifecycle Stages
A1-A3: Product (extraction, transport, manufacturing)
A4-A5: Construction (transport, installation)
B1-B7: Use (maintenance, repair, replacement)
C1-C4: End-of-life (demolition, transport, disposal)
The 50-Year Rule
For efficient buildings, embodied carbon = 40-50% of total. For net-zero operational buildings, embodied carbon IS 100% of emissions. Material choices matter more as operations improve.
Interactive Lifecycle Carbon Calculator
Configure building parameters to see embodied vs operational carbon over the lifecycle—try different material strategies to see savings
Lifecycle Carbon Analysis
Carbon Distribution Over 50 Years
Explore Material Alternatives
Discover low-carbon substitutes for every building material