EMBODIED CARBON IN CONSTRUCTION

whitbybird

LOCATIONS

global and local

over 8,000 employees 200 offices 20 countries 11 offices in the UK and Ireland

Ramboll is a leading engineering, design and consultancy company at the forefront of innovation. From across 200 offices we apply our engineering skills and passion to a wide range of projects in the UK and around the world.

Start at the end operational CO2 vs embodied CO2

Schools operational CO2 emissions
CIBSE Guide F 31 kgCO2/m2/yr CIBSE TM46 45 kgCO2/m2/yr Part L 2006 25 kgCO2/m2/yr

Schools embodied CO2

New build 500 kgCO2/m2

year 1
Operational CO2 Embodied CO2

year 10
Operational CO2 Embodied CO2

year 20
Operational CO2 Embodied CO2

How does embodied CO2 compare? as our buildings become more energy efficient

Embodied carbon in the press

Definition of Embodied Energy/CO2 and some initial thoughts

Carbon negative timber Cement replacement Phase change materials Cement production 5% of global CO2 emissions Unfired/compressed earth bricks Rammed earth Lean engineering Thermal mass

Energy/CO2 required to extract, process, fabricate, transport and erect materials on site
Hemp lime construction 15% construction waste Lime mortar Construction 10% of UK CO2 emissions Post tensioned concrete Adaptable buildings Re-cycle and re-use Bubbledeck concrete

Magnesium oxide cement Modern methods of construction

So how much material do we use? in construction

Concrete
23,5m tonnes of ready mixed concrete in 2007 0,3m tonnes of rebar in 2007

Steel
1,4m tonnes of constructional steelwork produced in the UK in 2007

Brick/Block
38m of clay bricks used and produced in the UK in 2007 99m of concrete blocks/bricks used and produced in the UK in 2007

Timber
10,5m m3 of sawn wood used in the UK in 2006 6,7m m3 of wood based panels used in the UK in 2006

Summary
400m tonnes of construction material used annually 90m tonnes of construction waste annually (of which approximately 50% is re-cycle as aggregate)

How does embodied CO2 compare? office buildings

Statistics
32,500m2 NIA or GIA? Embodied 765 kgCO2/m2 Operation 60 90 kgCO2/m2

How does embodied CO2 compare? residential buildings

Statistics
3 bed house 20 40 tCO2 Embodied 300 675 kgCO2/m2 Operation 30 50 kgCO2/m2 ?

How does embodied CO2 compare? school buildings

tCO 2 e/m2
0.700

tCO 2 e/m 2
100% 90% 5% 13% 5% 14%

0.600

0.579 0.523
-10% End of Life

80% 14% 70% 60% 50% 3% 13% 4%

0.500

End of Life

0.400

Maintenance

Maintenance

0.300

Onsite Activities

Onsite Activities
40% 66% 65% 30% 20%

0.200

Delivery

Delivery

0.100

Raw Materials
10% 0%

Raw Materials

U-beam school

Deltabeam school

U-beam school

Deltabeam school

tCO2 e/m 2 3.000

t CO2e /m2 100%

2.648
2.500 0.579

2.527
0.523

-5%

90% 80% 70% 60% Embodied

21.8%

20.7%

Statistics
2 different structure solutions Embodied 300 600 kgCO2/m2 Operation 25 - 35 kgCO2/m2

2.000

1.500 Operational 1.000 2.070 2.003

50% 40% 30% 78.2% 79.3%

Embodied Oper ational

0.500

20% 10%

U-beam school Deltabeam school

0% U-beam school Delt abeam school

How does embodied CO2 compare? school buildings

Steel industry research

22.5m 10,000m2 Embodied 300 350 kgCO2/m2 Operation 27 kgCO2/m2 Structure 10% cost, 60% CO2

How does embodied CO2 compare? Ramboll and UoC study

Peterborough School
975m2 Sportshall and Studio Timber LCA -40tCO2 Steel LCA 220tCO2 Embodied CO2 of structure only

Drivers lots to read

The Government Departments all in on the act

www.decc.gov.uk
Department for Energy and Climate Change The UK Low Carbon Transition Plan July 2009

www.communities.gov.uk/planningandbuilding/theenvironment
Communities and Local Government Building a Greener Future July 2007 Code for Sustainable Homes Consultations on definition of zero carbon EPCs and DECs www.zerocarbonhub.org

www.berr.gov.uk/whatwedo/sectors/construction
Department for Business, Innovation and Skills Strategy for Sustainable Construction June 2008 Construction Innovation and Growth Team

Zero carbon timetable is it possible?

2016
All new homes

2018
All new public sector buildings

2019
All new buildings

Embodied CO2 and policy / regulation what is coming?

Recent studies on embodied CO2 ODA

Embodied CO2 off settings renewables Stadthaus, Hackney

Telford Homes / Waugh Thistleton Architects

Solid timber construction, 180tCO2 stored 29 apartments, operational CO2 29kgCO2/m2 10% renewables obligation waived by Hackney

More action more to read

BREEAM, CfSH and BRE status of materials

BRE GREEN GUIDE TO SPECIFICATION status of materials

Embodied CO2 figures given

Floors -18 to 150 kgCO2/m2 Roofs -4 to 290 kgCO2/m2 External walls -3 to 370 kgCO2/m2

Strategic Forum for Construction aspirations

Calculate your own embodied CO2 what is out there?

Industry claims
Steel (SCI) 762 kgCO2/t RC (Concrete Centre) 115 kgCO2/t Timber (Wood for Good) -900 kgCO2/t

Calculate your own embodied CO2 what is out there?

Edinburgh Centre for Carbon Management

Steel 2300 kgCO2/t RC 250 kgCO2/t

Bath University ICE

Steel 1440 kgCO2/t RC 210 kgCO2/t Timber 390 kgCO2/t

Timber -1000 kgCO2/t

Sequestered CO2 and Timber Timber and concrete 1m3 analysis

2500KWhr 1m3

-800kg CO2

+275kg CO2

+800kg CO2 2500KWhr

+275kg CO2

1m3

+300kg CO2

+700kg CO2

+1000kg CO2

Combating Climate Change a role for UK forests

UK Forestry Commission report
UK Woodland could provide 10% GHG abatement. Scottish forests remove 12% of CO2 emissions. UK forest carbon sink reducing from 16mtCO2 in 2004 to 5mtCO2 in 2020. Wood fuel potential to save 7mtCO2 in UK. Estimated 70mtCO2 stored in timber housing in UK. Stern review and UK Low carbon transition plan recognise woodland creation as cost effective.

Embodied CO2 related to structural performance

Timber beam 15kgCO2 Concrete beam 50kgCO2 Steel beam 60kgCO2 But..60kgCO2 stored in timber beam

In summary where are we with embodied CO2?

DIY
Using Bath University ICE

BRE Green Guide to Specification

Link to BREEAM

Specialist consultants
Dcarbon8, ECCM, Davis Langdon etc.

but no embodied CO2 regulation at present or in foreseeable future

Reducing embodied carbon and advice and case studies

Reducing embodied carbon where to concentrate

Structure 50%-60%

Reducing embodied carbon in building structures

Lean design Re-cycled materials Renewable materials Minimise waste Design for long life Holistic design

Reducing embodied carbon in building structures

Lean design Re-cycled materials Renewable materials Minimise waste Design for long life Holistic design

MOSSBOURNE ACADEMY

Exposed timber frame

22.5m new build secondary school 960m3 timber, 800t CO2 stored Equivalent to 10% renewables for 20 years?

RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT

Timber concrete composite floors

Direct competition to steel frame? 3x stiffer and 2x stronger

UNIVERSITY OF CAMBRIDGE

Exposed timber frame

10m new build faculty of education 240m3 timber, 200t CO2 stored Equivalent to 6% renewables for 20 years?

Reducing embodied carbon in building structures

Lean design Re-cycled materials Renewable materials Minimise waste Design for long life Holistic design

CAMBRIDGE UNIVERSITY

Physics for Medicine

Exposed concrete frame teaching and labs Low Carbon concrete mix Equivalent to 3% renewables over 20 years?

Reducing embodied carbon in building structures

Lean design Re-cycled materials Renewable materials Minimise waste Design for long life Holistic design

NORWICH ACADEMY

UKs largest timber frame

22m new build secondary school 3500m3 timber, 2900t CO2 stored Equivalent to 30% renewables for 20 years?

NORWICH ACADEMY

ST JOHN FISHER SCHOOL

Solid timber panel construction

11m extension and refurbishment 1000m3 timber, 800t CO2 stored Equivalent to 30% renewables for 20 years?

Reducing embodied carbon in building structures

Lean design Re-cycled materials Renewable materials Minimise waste Design for long life Holistic design

SHEFFIELD UNIVERSITY

Hybrid concrete system

17m new build LRC using bubbledeck 110,000 balls 550m3 of RC saved or 175t CO2 Equivalent to 2% renewables for 20 years?

Reducing embodied carbon in building structures

Lean design Re-cycled materials Renewable materials Minimise waste Design for long life Holistic design

1 SOUTHAMPTON ROW

Innovative cassette raft

1500m3 concrete saved, 550tCO2 Long span steel structure 600t steel premium Concrete 550tCO2 saving, steel 1150tCO2 gain

Reducing embodied carbon in building structures

Lean design Re-cycled materials Renewable materials Minimise waste Design for long life Holistic design

BGS, NOTTINGHAM

UKs first timber termodeck building

5m new build offices 450m3 timber, 365t CO2 stored Equivalent to 7% renewables for 20 years?

Reducing embodied carbon in building structures

Lean design
Post tension concrete Suitable floor spans

Reduction in concrete and rebar Approx 23% saving in ECO2 Approx 33 kgCO2/m2 Reduction is steel content Approx 28% saving in ECO2 Approx 62 kgCO2/m2 Reduction in cement content Approx 22% saving in ECO2 Approx 46 kgCO2/m2

Re-cycled materials
Cement replacement

Renewable materials
Timber structures

Minimise waste
Prefabrication

Design for long life

Low maintenance, adaptable

Carbon negative? Approx 32% (205)saving in ECO2 Approx 52 (335) kgCO2/m2