EMBODIED CARBON CALCULATIONS

In-Class Exercise #09: Embodied Carbon Calculations

Reference Materials

Quantities

Concrete Blocks (Area) 1.05 square meters Mineral Wool Insulation (Area) 1.03 square meters Bricks (Quantity) 60 bricks Mortar (Volume) 0.033 cubic meters Wall Ties (Quantity) 5 wall ties

Weight/Mass

Concrete Blocks 60 kg/square meter Mineral Wool Insulation 7 kg/square meter Bricks 2.3 kg/brick Mortar 1,650 kg/cubic meter Wall Ties 0.04409 kg/wall tie

Sample Embodied Carbon Factors (kg CO2e/kg)

Concrete Blocks 0.133 kg CO2e/kg Mineral Wool Insulation 1.28 kg CO2e/kg Bricks 0.5512 kg CO2e/kg Mortar* 0.174 kg CO2e/kg Wall Ties* 6.519 kg CO2e/kg

Conversion for Electricity 0.6 kg CO2e/kWh Conversion Factor for Carpet Tiles 13.7 kg CO2e/m2

Notes

• Early on in a project, some elements are omitted (*) • Quantities of some materials do not always have to be converted to weights as their embodied carbon factors are sometimes provided in the same unit (such as paint)

IN THIS ASSIGNMENT WE CALCULATED THE EMBODIED CARBON EMISSION OF A MASONRY WALL DURING CONSTRUCTION. IT WAS INTERESTING TO SEE THAT THE WALL TIES HAD THE GREATEST CARBON COEFFICIENT COMPARED TO THE OTHER MATERIALS IN THE MASONRY BRICK WALL.

WE ALSO CALCULATED THE EMBODIED CARBON EMISSIONS OF REPLACING CARPET IN A BUILDING ONCE EVERY 2 YEARS OVER A 20 YEAR PERIOD. THIS ASSIGNMENT MAKES DESIGNERS MORE AWARE OF THE EMBODIED CARBON FOOTPRINT OF SPECIFIC BUILDING MATERIALS.

In-Class Exercise #09: Embodied Carbon Calculations

Complete Tasks A, B, and C:

Task A

Find the embodied carbon in this wall. Steps 1 - Establish the building materials that make up the wall. 2 - Calculate the weight of each material in your wall. 3 - Apply the embodied carbon factor to each material. 4 - Add all of the embodied carbon together.

Task B

4,500 kWh of electricity was used to power site lighting during construction. Construction site lighting is powered by fossil fuels. How much embodied carbon is in the site lighting?

Task C

1,400 m2 of carpet tiles are installed in an office on day #1. 25% of the carpet tiles are replaced every other year for the lifetime of the office space. The lifetime of the office space is 20 years. What is the total embodied carbon for the carpet flooring for the lifetime of the office space?