NBS partners with Circular Ecology to launch practical guide for construction professionals
NBS, the specification and product information platform which is part of Hubexo, has partnered with Circular Ecology, an environmental sustainability specialist, to launch a new guide designed to give construction professionals practical guidance on how to apply carbon values to BIM objects.
The ‘NBS Guide: Embodied Carbon Calculations’ aims to tackle the fragmentation of embodied carbon data, which NBS describes as a critical challenge preventing designers from making choices that could significantly reduce a project’s carbon footprint.
It provides a practical framework for embedding upfront carbon data (Modules A1-A5 as per BS EN 15804) directly at the BIM object level using a geometry-led approach.
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The guide focuses on four distinct BIM object types: ‘Layered Items’, such as insulation or brickwork; ‘Layered Assemblies’, such as cavity walls; ‘Items’, such as washbasins or radiators; and ‘Composite Assemblies’, such as reinforced concrete.
For each type, it details the methodology for calculating embodied carbon by multiplying quantity by emission factors, and important factors such as material densities. The guide aims to translate and simplify existing principles into the practical realities of implementation to BIM object information, enabling designers to make better carbon decisions during the design process.
“Every design decision made without embodied carbon data is a missed opportunity to reduce our industry’s environmental impact,” said Dr Lee Jones, head of sustainability at Hubexo, and one of the guide’s authors. “This guide gives designers the tools to make informed carbon choices from day one.
“We’ve translated complex standards into practical methodology that works within existing BIM workflows. The result? Transparent, consistent carbon data that enables comparisons and supports the construction sector’s transition to net zero.”
