Conventional engineering data is perhaps the most obvious, but we also include data like staffing levels, containment requirements, power consumption, or even the level of design uncertainty.
The GLA requires the preparation of a WLCA pre-planning and at post-construction and requires the analysis of the results both with the current carbon factors and a decarbonised scenario.. Additionally, bodies such as the London Energy Transformation Initiative (LETI), RIBA, GLA and UKGBC, have developed guidance documents on embodied carbon, which include specific targets and roadmaps to zero carbon prior 2050.Whilst these four bodies have been essential in pushing the agenda for low carbon, there has been some confusion across the industry due to the misalignment of targets and WLCA scopes between them as demonstrated in Figure 3.
LETI has been working in collaboration with other bodies and industry groups to resolve these inconsistencies and have published the ‘Embodied carbon target alignment document’.. Based on this document and the comparison of the current targets defined by LETI, RIBA and GLA, an average performance for non-domestic commercial building performance (A-C) would be to achieve an embodied carbon around 1400kgCO./m², good practice would be below 970kgCO.and best practice below 550kgCO.
This lower threshold is only achievable by refurbished buildings and timber structures that account for carbon sequestration and design with ambitious low carbon specifications.. Bryden Wood aspires to design new buildings that achieve at least the good practice thresholds shown in Figure 4 and where feasible deliver best practice performance.In order to be able to meet these aspirations, it is necessary to develop a clear strategy for both embodied and operational carbon..
From LETI: graphic showing the range of performance based on benchmarked projects..
Comparison embodied carbon targets from RIBA, LETI and GLA.Rich data representation can provide regulatory reviewers with relevant information in the appropriate format at each stage of the process.
Data-rich models can generate automatic reports to demonstrate design compliance.. Simplified systems and processes enable simplified interactions.The Platform Engineering (P-DfMA) Solution described above and the simplification of processes resulting from this design, enable much simpler and standardised interactions between customers and producers and between the various producers that make up the supply chain to deliver these buildings.
This allows us to achieve the scale and speed of refurbishments that are required..Significant amounts of the design are simpler and can be done much more quickly by a wide range of designers.