Material choices deserve attention alongside energy systems when assessing a building’s environmental impact. Investors and design teams need reliable information to understand what different options mean. The EDGE materials assessment provides a shared calculation framework for that assessment. Good preparation helps maintain a traceable connection between the solution represented in the calculation and the solution specified and installed in the project.
Why does the carbon impact of materials matter?
Embodied carbon describes greenhouse gas emissions associated with building materials’ production and life cycle. Emissions from energy consumed during building use are operational. Considering both broadens the environmental assessment beyond building operation. European Commission — Buildings’ life-cycle carbon impact.
This distinction has a practical place in design meetings: when selecting a building element, teams can discuss both its material impact and its contribution to building use. It helps focus the discussion on project needs and the purpose of the assessment rather than a product’s promotional description. Recording the reasons for choices early also provides a useful starting point for procurement discussions.
What does the EDGE materials calculation show?
The current EDGE materials guide uses embodied carbon. The calculation focuses on production stages from raw material extraction to the factory gate. Results should be read within that boundary; they do not have the same scope as a whole-life building carbon assessment. EDGE — Material measures guide.
For an investor, a useful question is which decision the comparison supports. When considering a wall, floor or roof option, it is reasonable to ask for a clear description of the solution used in the calculation. Seeing the assumptions alongside the result makes it easier to distinguish between confirmed choices and matters still under consideration at a design meeting.
Representing product data accurately
The EDGE App includes inputs linking material options to building elements. Material type, thickness and proportion of use help represent the selected solution. Keeping drawings and calculation inputs consistent is therefore important.
Custom material inputs can be used where standard options do not adequately represent the product in a project. A product’s environmental product declaration, or EPD, or appropriate life-cycle data sources can support that input. EDGE — Using custom material inputs.
The project team should clearly record which product the manufacturer’s information describes. Checking that the product entered in the calculation matches the procurement list is a practical part of document management. If a product changes, reviewing the relevant drawing, specification and calculation input together is useful.
Considering options alongside project needs
Bringing the materials assessment into a shared discussion between architectural and engineering teams is useful. Alongside the carbon indicator, the selection discussion should consider structural performance, fire safety, durability, maintenance and functional needs. Defining which function the compared solutions fulfil helps connect the assessment to a design decision.
For example, when discussing façade options, material data can be considered alongside an energy performance assessment. The purpose is to distinguish options that are relevant to the project and explain the reasons for them. Keeping team priorities and unresolved information in the same decision record can help prevent disciplines from making choices without each other’s knowledge. Communicating confirmed choices clearly to the procurement team continues that preparation.
How can you prepare for an assessment?
Current architectural drawings, descriptions of the main building elements and available product documents provide a useful starting point for an initial discussion. Products that have not yet been selected can also be identified clearly. This preparation helps the team discuss whether the available information is sufficient and what needs to be completed.
Agreeing who is responsible for documents and how product changes will be communicated is good project management. A shared record can identify each document’s product, date and related drawing. This makes it possible to follow which decisions underpin the calculation as the project develops. Keeping differences between the originally proposed and eventually installed solutions visible helps the team prepare more effectively before final review.
How can AECO help?
AECO’s EDGE consulting focuses on connecting certification objectives with design decisions and document preparation. An initial assessment considers the project stage, available information and alternatives to examine. Where relevant, the relationship with energy modelling and other analyses can also be discussed.
Share your project stage and the material selection questions you would like to clarify to discuss the assessment scope. Preparation can then be planned around the decisions your project team needs to make.