Whole Life Carbon
Whole Life Carbon (WLC) is a robust and rapidly evolving methodology in the assessment of construction projects.
The functional objective of WLC is to quantify the through-life carbon emissions of all facets of the scheme and to identify and develop solutions that have the lowest embodied and operational emissions.
WLC replaces the standard practice of focusing only on operational emissions. It is a positive step towards achieving true net-zero in the construction industry.
IMPACT®
IMPACT-compliant software enables:
– a quantified assessment of the embodied carbon.
– Life Cycle Assessment (LCA).
– Life Cycle Costing (LCC).
London and WLC
Check out the latest consultation draft and discussion on the Whole Life Carbon component of the London Plan.
COP28 - What needs to be done
Learn about the upcoming global conference on Climate Change, hosted by the UAE from 30 November – 12 December 2023. COP28 details the future of the global response towards climate change as well as the role of net zero principles in our future.
IEA-COP26 Net Zero Summit
Watch top international energy & climate leaders from around the globe meet for vital discussions on turning net zero ambitions into reality.
BRE NABERS
BRE has launched NABERS in the UK, the renowned methodology that measures and bridges the performance gap in building energy use, an essential step towards whole life carbon reduction.
WLC One-Pager by LETI
Learn the fundamentals of WLC with this one-page guidance publication from the London Energy Transformation Initiative (LETI).
LETI Embodied Carbon Primer
Learn more about Embodied Carbon and how project teams can deliver on ambitious embodied carbon reductions.
Climate Change and Energy
Explore the UK government’s official portal for latest communication and publications on climate change, energy policy, and net zero.
Circular Economy
Circular Economy is essential to enabling net-zero in the built environment. Learn more about the latest developments in the Circular Economy component of the London Plan.
RICS Whole Life Carbon Assessment
The 1st Edition to RICS WLCA mandates a whole life approach to reducing carbon emissions within the built environment. The document offers interpretation and implementation of EN 15978 methodology.
The WLC Methodology: BS EN 15978:2011
The BS EN 15978:2011 is the current UK standard for conducing Whole Life Carbon assessments. The document includes key guidance, procedures, and calculations for the assessment of environmental performance of construction projects.
RICS Whole Life Carbon Assessment for the Built Environment
Case Studies
Explore the UK-GBC library of case studies for ambitious built environment projects – WLC, net zero, climate change, and more.
Emerging WLC Templates
Whole Life Carbon is being rapidly adopted across the UK’s construction industry. Explore the key evidence templates being applied into practice today.
Ecological effect life cycle assessment of house buildings based on … – Nature.com
Ecological effect life cycle assessment of house buildings based on ... Nature.com
Achieving Sustainability in the Built Environment, Brick by Brick … – Climate Change Solutions
Achieving Sustainability in the Built Environment, Brick by Brick ... Climate Change Solutions
Transformation of Homes Into Sustainable and Healthier … – Indian Retailer
Transformation of Homes Into Sustainable and Healthier ... Indian Retailer
Verifying net zero in buildings
The UK Green Building Council is providing a verification process (based on third-party audits) on a transparent template basis. Learn more about how design teams can ensure their scheme will be verified in the future.
'Advancing Net Zero'
To help achieve the UK’s net zero emissions target, UK-GBC is leading the transition to a net zero carbon built environment.
Get In Touch
Get your opinion heard
Whole Life Carbon is a platform for the entire construction industry, in the UK and abroad. We keep track of the latest publications, debates, and events pertaining to whole life guidance and net zero. Please get in touch if you have any enquiries, or opinions to share.