Whole-Life Embodied Carbon Calculator

What is the real carbon cost of this building? Every EN 15978 life-cycle stage, not just the cradle-to-gate figure most calculators stop at — with the material driving the total named, and biogenic carbon kept on its own line.

The project

What are you building?Sets the benchmark band to compare against

Gross internal floor areaEverything is reported per square metre of this

m²

Advanced / Custom Input — the benchmark

Benchmark target iFilled in from the building type and country. A1-A5 basis.

kgCO₂e/m²

Best-practice target

kgCO₂e/m²

The materials

Factors shown are generic industry averages. If you have an EPD for the actual product, type its figure into the row — an EPD always beats a generic average.

Advanced / Custom Input — the material list

Start from a typical build-upReplaces the list with a worked starting point.

Biogenic carbon in dry timber iHow much CO₂ a kilogram of timber holds.

kgCO₂/kg

Subtract stored carbon from the total? iOff by default, and EN 15804+A2 requires it reported separately.

Which life stages?

Most free calculators only ever do the first one. That is the product stage alone — it leaves out getting the material to site, building with it, maintaining it, and taking it down.

Advanced / Custom Input — stage assumptions

A4 transport to site iAs a share of the product-stage figure.

A5 construction and waste

B use stage over 60 years

C end of life

D benefit beyond the boundaryNegative because it is a benefit. EN 15978 reports D separately from the total.

Test a substitution

Swap this materialFilled from your list once you calculate

For this one

Advanced / Custom Input — the substitution

Or just use this factor insteadOverrides the replacement material above. 0 to ignore.

kgCO₂e/kg

Result

Add your materials and floor area, then press “Work out the carbon”.

Estimate only — verify with a qualified engineer or energy consultant and current local regulation before relying on this for compliance or investment decisions. Material factors are generic industry averages, not product EPDs.