Industry Viewfinder
The Decarbonisation of Social Housing Feature Eliminating emissions
Eliminating the carbon emissions associated with housing involves understanding the impact of the dwelling over its lifespan. Anastasia Mylona of CIBSE explains how this should be approached
R
egular revisions to Building Regulations over the last two decades have focused on improving the energy efficiency of new and existing homes. We understand how to build high-performing homes and we have a
realistic pathway to achieving new homes that are zero energy in use. However, there is a strong argument around the trade-off between the carbon
savings achieved by installing ever more energy efficient materials and the carbon emitted during the manufacture of those materials. To reach a point where a building can be described as “zero carbon” we need to calculate both the carbon emissions associated with homes in use and the carbon emissions produced during the manufacture of the products used to build them – the embodied carbon. Combining these figures together over the anticipated lifespan of a building
gives a total Whole Life Carbon calculation and it is this figure that needs to be factored into planning for a zero carbon future. Tis issue was brought into sharp focus earlier this year when the London
Assembly Planning and Regeneration Committee published a report calling for Whole Life Carbon assessments to be part of planning applications. Te report followed the high-profile debate over the relative sustainability of replacing or repurposing some landmark buildings in the capital. Tis was the latest in a series of influential reports effectively supporting the
drive to introduce a new section to the Building Regulations. Te suggested Part Z would introduce limits to embodied carbon for the first time and, as the name suggests, is designed to move the dial closer to zero carbon buildings. CIBSE has supported the concept of Part Z since the beginning, while recognising the challenges around introducing such a radical step.
30 | HMMJune/July 2024 |
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The suggested Part Z would introduce limits to embodied carbon for the first time
Top of the list of these is the lack of information around embodied carbon
in building products. Te introduction of Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs) was a great step forward, providing a robust programme to support manufacturers’ calculations. Each EPD will include a Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) detailing the carbon emissions associated with every stage of the life cycle of the product. Tis is important because it is estimated that embodied carbon accounts
for between 30% and 70% of the whole life carbon emissions from a building. We are gradually seeing individual manufacturers introduce EPDs, although a lack of consistency in the way carbon emissions are measured and evaluated is still a problem. It is relatively straightforward to calculate the embodied carbon of a
product such as brick or a plasterboard panel – where the number of base materials used in manufacture is limited and their origins completely understood. When considering mechanical equipment, however, the picture is much more complicated. CIBSE focuses primarily on building services: the heating, lighting,
ventilation and air conditioning that make buildings habitable and comfortable. Without understanding the embodied carbon of the materials and components that make up these systems it is impossible to calculate the whole life carbon associated with any building project.
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