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Steel sector publishes guide on embodied carbon
Tata Steel and the British Constructional Steelwork Association have published a guide on embodied carbon, the latest in their series of steel construction guidance publications.
A must-read for the entire steel construction industry, the guide explains what embodied carbon is and how it impacts on the total emissions of a building throughout its lifecycle.
The Government has set ambitious and legally binding targets to reduce national greenhouse gas emissions and, as the operation of buildings currently accounts for nearly half of these, significant improvement in new and existing building performance is required.
Although operational carbon emissions from buildings are the primary sustainable construction driver in the UK at present, improvements in energy efficiency mean the importance of embodied carbon is increasing.
The guide gives designers an overview of how embodied carbon should be considered and calculated, some practical guidance on how to assess it on individual projects, and the significance of end of life impacts, while some case studies show how structural steelwork compares with other framing materials.
‘When calculated the correct way, steel has an embodied carbon advantage over other framing materials. This guide explains clearly how to calculate the embodied carbon of a building using the latest independent data. I would strongly recommend that all construction professionals familiarise themselves with the methods and data outlined in the brochure,’ said Sarah McCann-Bartlett, BCSA Director General.
The guide is available for download here.