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Table 2.5: Suggested embodied carbon factors (ECFA13,i) for common construction materials
Material Type Specification/details Assumed Recommended Typical Typical Source
density (kg/m3) default value lower bound upper bound
Default Lower Upper
(kgCO2e/kg) (kgCO2e/kg)a (kgCO2e/kg)a
bound bound
Cement UK average 1,440 0.812 kgCO2e/kg – – Ref. 35 – –
Portland cement
Concrete In situ concrete UK 2,400 0.069 0.044 0.090 Ref. 33 Ref. 33 Ref. 33
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(unreinforced)b C8/10 25% GGBS (70% GGBS) (0% SCM)c
UK 2,400 0.082 0.050 0.104 Ref. 33 Ref. 33 Ref. 33
How to calculate embodied carbon (3rd edition)
C16/20 25% GGBSc (70% GGBS) (0% SCM)c
UK 2,400 0.088 0.053 0.112 Ref. 33 Ref. 33 Ref. 33
C20/25 25% GGBSc (70% GGBS) (0% SCM)c
UK 2,400 0.094 0.056 0.119 Ref. 33 Ref. 33 Ref. 33
C25/30 25% GGBSc (70% GGBS) (0% SCM)c
UK 2,400 0.113 0.064 0.138 Ref. 33 Ref. 33 Ref. 33
C32/40 25% GGBSc (70% GGBS) (0% SCM)c
UK 2,400 0.130 0.072 0.159 Ref. 33 Ref. 33 Ref. 33
C40/50 25% GGBSc (70% GGBS) (0% SCM)c
Global average (excludes 2,400 0.163 (mean)e 0.127 (20th 0.198 (80th Ref. 31 Ref. 31 Ref. 31
China) percentile)e percentile)e
C32/40d
Mortar/screed 1:4 cement:sand mixf with 2,000 (assuming w/c 0.146 – – Ref. 33 – –
average UK cement mixg of 0.5, cement density
1,440, sand density
1,600)
Precast concreteb UK 2,385 0.173 0.091 0.177 Ref. 33 Ref. 33 Ref. 33
C40/50, unreinforcedh (Average UK (70% GGBS) (0% SCM)c
cement mix)
UK 2,000 62.2 kgCO2e/m2 50.0 kgCO2e/m2 68.1 kgCO2e/m2 Ref. 37 Ref. 38 Ref. 37
150mm reinforced hollowcore (CEM I - average (CEM II) (CEM I)
slabsi of 4 types)
(Continued)
Table 2.5: Continued
Material Type Specification/details Assumed Recommended Typical Typical Source
density (kg/m3) default value lower bound upper bound
Default Lower Upper
(kgCO2e/kg) (kgCO2e/kg)a (kgCO2e/kg)a
bound bound
Steelj Reinforcement bars UK 7,850 0.720 0.506 (EAF 2.54 (BOF Ref. 39 Ref. 40 Ref. 41
(consumption average) production) production)
Global 7,850 1.770 Ref. 42 – –
PT strand Europe 7,850 1.724 0.609 2.598 Refs. Ref. 43 Ref. 48
(average of 43–48
6 EPDs)
Structural sections and UK 7,850 1.640 0.567 (EAF 2.450 (BOF Ref. 49 Ref. 50 Ref. 51
plate Rolled open sections production) production)
(consumption average)
Global 7,850 1.660 – – Ref. 52 – –
Rolled open sections
UK and Global 7,850 2.590 – – Ref. 53 – –
Closed sections
UK and Global 7,850 2.470 – – Ref. 54 – –
Plate
Galvanised profiled UK 7,850 2.830 2.810 2.850 Refs. Ref. 56 Ref. 57
sheet TATA ComFlor® (average of (ComFlor® 51+ (ComFlor® 60 55–57
3 EPDs) 0.9mm) 1mm)
Global 7,850 2.700 – – Ref. 58 – –
Hot dip galvanised steel
Reused steel sections UK 7,850 0.0537 0.0447 0.0698 Refs. Ref. 60 Ref. 61
Reuse of structural steel (average of Product EPD Product EPD 59–61
sections 3 EPDs)
Stainless Steelk Structural sections and Europe 7,850 2.515 1.290 4.720 Refs. Refs. Refs.
plate (average of Grade 1.4003 Cold rolled 62–76 62–76 62–76
15 EPDs) tube section, duplex steel,
product EPD, EU production
EU production
Rebarl Europe 7,850 3.480 2.480 4.990 Refs. Refs. Refs.
(average of Cold rolled Duplex grade 77–80 77–80 77–80
4 EPDs) rebar rebar
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How to calculate embodied carbon (3rd edition)
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Table 2.5: Continued
Material Type Specification/details Assumed Recommended Typical Typical Source
density (kg/m3) default value lower bound upper bound
Default Lower Upper
(kgCO2e/kg) (kgCO2e/kg)a (kgCO2e/kg)a
bound bound
Blockwork Precast concrete blocks UK 600 0.280 – – Ref. 33 – –
Lightweight AAC blocks for
building envelope
UK not given in ICE 0.085 – – Ref. 33 – –
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Dense blocks for other uses
Brick Single engineering brick UK 1,487 0.213 – – Ref. 33 – –
How to calculate embodied carbon (3rd edition)
BDA generic brick
Brick wall UK – 36.9 kgCO2e/m2 – – Ref. 33 – –
Single skin wall with mortar
1:4 CEM I cement:sand mix
UK – 79.0 kgCO2e/m2 – – Ref. 33 – –
Double skin wall with mortar
1:4 CEM I cement:sand mix
Reused clay brick Europe approx. 1,650 0.0354 0.0112 0.0596 – Ref. 81 Ref. 82
(average of upper
and lower bound
values of 2 EPDs)
Unfired clay brick Germany, generic data 1,200 0.076 – – Ref. 83 – –
(abobe)
Hempcretem Blocks Generic 317 0.567 0.37 0.80 Refs. Ref. 86 Ref. 86
(average of 4 84–85
datapoints)
Compressed Cement stabilised block 5% cementn approx. 1,800 0.043 – – Ref. 88 – –
stabilised earth
block (CSEB)
Rammed earth Cement stabilised 5% cement 1,800 0.068 – – Noteo – –
Lime stabilised 2% stabilised 1,830 0.026 – – Ref. 89 – –
Unstabilised Germany 2,000 0.005 – – Ref. 90 – –
clay, sand, straw, no additives
(Continued)
Table 2.5: Continued
Material Type Specification/details Assumed Recommended Typical Typical Source
density (kg/m3) default value lower bound upper bound
Default Lower Upper
(kgCO2e/kg) (kgCO2e/kg)a (kgCO2e/kg)a
bound bound
Stone Granite Genericp approx. 2,700 0.093 – – Ref. 91 – –
Limestone Generic 2,531 0.090 – – Ref. 33 – –
(V2)
Sandstone Generic 2,499 0.060 – – Ref. 33 – –
(V2)
Granular fill UK 2,240 0.007 – – Ref. 33 – –
Aggregates and sand from a
mixture of land-won, marine,
secondary and recycled, bulk,
loose
Global 2,240 0.005 – – Ref. 33 – –
Aggregates and sand from
virgin land-won and marine
resources, bulk, loose
Timberq Studwork/framing/ Global 480 0.263 – – Ref. 33 – –
(100% FSC/ flooring Softwood
PEFC) UK 475 0.156 0.075 0.25 Ref. 92 Ref. 93 Ref. 94
Softwood, import weighted
average
UK 3.75 0.663 0.287 0.982 Ref. 92 Ref. 95 Ref. 96
I-joists, import weighted
average
Manufactured structural UK 469 0.217 0.11 0.41 Ref. 92 Ref. 97 Ref. 98
timber Cross-laminated timber (CLT),
import weighted average
Global 472 0.437c – – Ref. 33 – –
CLT, import weighted average
UK 472 0.280 0.152 0.673 Ref. 92 Ref. 99 Ref. 100
Glue-laminated timber
(Glulam), import weighted
average
(Continued)
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Table 2.5: Continued
Material Type Specification/details Assumed Recommended Typical Typical Source
density (kg/m3) default value lower bound upper bound
Default Lower Upper
(kgCO2e/kg) (kgCO2e/kg)a (kgCO2e/kg)a
bound bound
Global 513 0.512r – – Ref. 33 – –
Glulam, import weighted
average
UK 513 0.532 0.239 0.786 Ref. 92 Ref. 101 Ref. 102
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Laminated veneer lumber
(LVL), import weighted average
Global 469 0.390 – – Ref. 33 – –
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LVL, import weighted average
Sheet UK 469 0.501 – – Ref. 92 – –
Softwood plywood, import
weighted average
Global 469 0.681 – – Ref. 33 – –
Softwood plywood
UK 584 1.021 – – Ref. 92 – –
Hardwood plywood, import
weighted average
UK 606 0.236 – – Ref. 92 – –
Oriented strand board (OSB),
import weighted average
Global 675 0.455 – – Ref. 33 – –
OSB
UK 675 0.519 – – Ref. 92 – –
Medium-density fibreboard
(MDF), import weighted
average
Global 675 0.856 – – Ref. 33 – –
MDF
UK 660 0.447 – – Ref. 92 – –
Chipboard, import weighted
average
Global 660 0.400 – – Ref. 33 – –
Chipboard
(Continued)
Table 2.5: Continued
Material Type Specification/details Assumed Recommended Typical Typical Source
density (kg/m3) default value lower bound upper bound
Default Lower Upper
(kgCO2e/kg) (kgCO2e/kg)a (kgCO2e/kg)a
bound bound
Bamboos Culms Generic 700 0.046 0.024 0.067 Ref. 86 Ref. 86 Ref. 86
Engineered bamboo Generic 700 0.276 0.171 0.381 Ref. 86 Ref. 86 Ref. 86
products
Aluminium Sheet European consumption 2,700 6.58 – – Ref. 33 – –
31% recycled content
Worldwide consumption 2,700 13.0 – – Ref. 33 – –
31% recycled content
Extruded profiles European consumption 2,700 6.83 – – Ref. 33 – –
31% recycled content
Worldwide consumption 2,700 13.2 – – Ref. 33 – –
31% recycled content
Glass General Generic approx. 2,500 1.440 – – Ref. 33 – –
Toughened Generic approx. 2,500 1.670 – – Ref. 33 – –
Plasterboard Partitioning/ceilings Generic 900 0.238 – – Ref. 33 – –
Intumescent For external uses Epoxy 1,470 5.970 – – Ref. 104 – –
coatings for
For internal uses Water-based 1,400 3.389 2.140 4.417 Ref. 105 Ref. 106 Ref. 107
steel
Cementitous Cementitious spray USA manufactured, used in 640 0.621 – – Ref. 108 – –
coatings for UK.
steel Monokote Z-146 (high density)
Asphalt For highway and Asphalt, 5% binder content approx. 2,400 0.0542 – – Ref. 33 – –
pavement construction
Bitumen For road construction, Paving grade bitument approx. 1,000 0.1630 – – Ref. 109 – –
roofing, waterproofing
and other applications
Plastic PTFE fabric Coated glass fabric approx. 1.125kg/m2 16.7kgCO2e/m2 16.4kgCO2e/m2 16.9kgCO2e/m2 – Ref. 110 Ref. 111
(average of 2 (product (product
EPDs linked as reported in EPD reported in EPD
upper and lower is 7mm thick) is 1mm thick)
bounds)
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(Continued)
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