Embodied carbon calculator

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Calculate the GWP (kg CO₂e) of construction materials and assemblies across all life cycle stages. Free, transparent, EN 15804 compliant — no login required.

✓ EN 15804+A2:2019 ✓ ISO 14040/14044 EPiC Database 2024 A1–C4 + Module D No login

Methodology & data sources — click to expand ▼

FastLCA calculates Global Warming Potential (GWP) in kg CO₂e following the module structure of EN 15804+A2:2019 and methodology of ISO 14040/14044. Results are indicative estimates — not a certified LCA or EPD.

⚠ Important — EPiC is an Australian database. Generic values use Australian input-output data and manufacturing conditions. The hybrid method (process + input-output) gives higher values than European EPDs because it captures indirect supply chain processes that process-only methods miss. For European/UK projects: use values as upper-bound estimates and replace with local EPDs (EPD Norway, IBU, Environdec) for formal reporting. EPD Database licence: CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 — used as internal calculation input only; raw data not exported · Cite as: Crawford, R.H., Stephan, A. & Prideaux, F. (2024), University of Melbourne · DOI: 10.26188/10257728.v11

A1–A3 Generic materials

EPiC Database 2024 (Crawford, Stephan & Prideaux, University of Melbourne). Hybrid LCI — Australian supply chain data. Licence: CC BY-NC-ND 4.0. Values are higher than EU EPDs due to full supply chain coverage. Open EPiC Database ↗

A1–A3 EPD products

Product-specific values from verified manufacturer EPDs, entered by the user from the original document.

A4 Transport

ECTA (2011) factors per vehicle type × distance (kg CO₂e/t·km), applied to total material mass.

A5 Construction

IEA 2023 grid intensity × site energy + waste factor (%) × A1–A3 GWP.

C1–C4 End of life

Generic per-kg factors estimated from published EPD ranges by material and EOL scenario. EPD-declared values used where available.

Module D

Net recovery benefit. Always reported separately — never added to A1–C4 total per EN 15804+A2:2019 clause 6.4.3.4.

⚠ Limitations: EPiC uses Australian input-output data — values are systematically higher than European EPDs because the hybrid method captures full supply chain emissions including indirect processes. For European/UK projects these are indicative only. Generic C1–C4 and Module D values are estimated — not from a single verified source. Always prefer product-specific EPDs for formal reporting.

Life cycle boundary — hover each stage for details

PRODUCT STAGE (A1–A3)

A1Raw mat.

A2Transport

A3Manufacture

CONSTRUCTION (A4–A5)

A4To site

A5On site

USE PHASE — NOT INCLUDED

B1–5Use & maint.

B6–7Energy/water

END OF LIFE (C1–C4)

C1Demolition

C2Transport

C3Processing

C4Disposal

BEYOND

DNet benefit

A1–A3 included A4–A5 (optional) C1–C4 (per EOL) B1–B7 not included D separate

ⓘ Module D = 0 for landfill is correct — no material or energy is recovered. For timber and plastics, landfill also causes long-term methane not captured in generic C4 factors.

Project

Project saved automatically to your browser ✓ Saved

Generic GHG emission factors from the EPiC Database 2024 (Crawford, Stephan & Prideaux, University of Melbourne). Hybrid LCI approach — covers full supply chain. Values are higher than process-only EPDs. Open EPiC Database ↗ · Licence: CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 · Used as internal input only

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Source details

Database / programme—

Year published—

Declared unit—

A1–A3 emission factor—

Reference / EPD ID—

Quantity

Unit

Select a material above, enter a quantity, then click Add.

Results — GWP by life cycle stage

kg CO₂e per m² floor area: m² GFA — kg CO₂e/m²

Material contribution to A1–A3

🔍 Show full calculation breakdown (verify the maths) ▼

Data sources used

What comes next

FastLCA gives you the early picture — here's how to go further

This estimate is a useful starting point for design decisions and client conversations. But if your product or project needs a verified EPD — for green building certification, procurement requirements, or a public carbon claim — that requires a certified LCA study. Here's what that journey looks like:

Step 1 — You are here

Pre-screening with FastLCA

Understand which materials dominate, compare options, identify hotspots. Free, instant, no expertise needed.

Step 2

Certified LCA study

A verified practitioner collects product-specific data, models the full supply chain, and produces a report compliant with ISO 14040/44 and EN 15804.

Step 3

EPD verification & registration

The LCA report is independently verified and registered with a programme operator (EPD Norway, IBU, Environdec). Typically €3,000–€15,000 depending on complexity.

Step 4

Publish & use your EPD

Your verified EPD becomes a marketable asset — usable for BREEAM/LEED credits, public procurement, green financing, and customer transparency.

Learn about our methodology →

📋 EU regulatory context — why this matters now

🪪 Digital Product Passport (DPP) — mandatory for construction products 2027–2030 ▼

The Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation (ESPR, Regulation EU 2024/1781) entered into force in July 2024. It mandates a Digital Product Passport for construction products — a machine-readable digital record that travels with the product throughout its life cycle, containing origin, material composition, carbon footprint, recycled content, durability, and end-of-life data.

The Construction Products Regulation (CPR, Regulation EU 2024/1305) specifically extends DPP requirements to construction materials. Together these regulations mean that placing a construction product on the EU market without a DPP will become illegal.

✓

July 2024

ESPR entered into force

Legal framework established. No product-specific requirements yet.

✓

Q2 2025

ESPR Working Plan 2025–2030 published

First wave: textiles, furniture, tyres, iron/steel, aluminium chains prioritised.

→

Late 2025 – 2026

First delegated acts expected

Product-specific DPP data requirements defined. Minimum 18-month transition after adoption.

○

February 2027

Battery DPP mandatory (EV & industrial batteries)

First mandatory DPP. Sets the technical precedent for other sectors.

○

2027–2030

Construction product DPPs phased in

Mandatory DPPs for regulated construction materials. EPDs aligned with EN 15804+A2 expected to feed directly into DPP data.

💡 What this means for you: EPDs aligned with EN 15804+A2 are explicitly expected to become the primary data source for DPPs in construction. Having a verified EPD now means your DPP data is already half-built — and you're ahead of competitors who wait until compliance is mandatory.

🚫 EU anti-greenwashing rules — already binding from September 2026 Binding Sep 2026 ▼

Two EU directives now restrict how companies can make environmental and climate claims — even in B2B contexts relevant to construction:

Empowering Consumers for the Green Transition Directive (EmpCo / ECGT, Directive EU 2024/825) — adopted March 2024, binding from 27 September 2026 across all EU member states. This is already law.

From September 2026 it will be illegal to:

Make generic environmental claims — "eco-friendly", "green", "sustainable", "natural", "circular" — without proof
Claim a product is "climate neutral" or "carbon neutral" based on offsetting rather than actual emission reductions
Display a sustainability label that hasn't been verified by a recognised certification scheme
Claim environmental benefit for only part of a product while implying it applies to the whole

Green Claims Directive (proposed) — would have added mandatory third-party pre-verification for all explicit environmental claims. The Commission announced intention to withdraw the proposal in June 2025 after political opposition to its bureaucratic burden on small businesses. The legislative process is paused — but not cancelled. The EmpCo Directive (above) still applies regardless.

💡 What this means for you: If your product will carry any carbon or environmental claim after September 2026 — on a website, in a tender, in a sales brochure — it needs to be substantiated with verifiable data. A verified EPD with declared GWP values from an accredited LCA programme is exactly the kind of evidence that makes a claim defensible. FastLCA estimates are not sufficient for public claims — they're a starting point.

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⚠ Disclaimer: FastLCA provides indicative estimates only. Not a certified LCA, EPD or regulatory declaration. Generic A1–A3: EPiC Database 2024 (Crawford, Stephan & Prideaux, University of Melbourne; CC BY-NC-ND 4.0; used as internal calculation input). Hybrid values — systematically higher than process-only EPDs. Transport: ECTA (2011). Generic C1–C4 and Module D: estimated from published EPD ranges. User EPD values not independently verified. Module D excluded from totals per EN 15804+A2:2019. B1–B7 not included. For compliance, commission a certified LCA practitioner. · © 2026 FastLCA. All rights reserved. · FastLCA v0.7 · fastlca.com · hello@fastlca.com · Methodology ·

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Quick LCA insights,
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