Building Carbon Footprint Calculator

Understanding Building Carbon Emissions

Operational vs Embodied Carbon

Operational carbon is the CO²e emitted during a building's day-to-day use — heating, cooling, lighting and plug loads. It accounts for approximately 28% of global CO² emissions. Embodied carbon covers emissions from material extraction, manufacture, construction and eventual demolition. As operational emissions fall through electrification and grid decarbonisation, embodied carbon becomes proportionally more significant — often representing 50–70% of whole-life emissions in new low-energy buildings.

Scope 1, 2 and 3 Emissions

Scope 1: Direct emissions from sources owned or controlled by the organisation — on-site gas boilers, diesel generators, refrigerant leakage. Scope 2: Indirect emissions from purchased electricity, steam and district heat. Scope 3: All other indirect emissions in the value chain, including occupant commuting, business travel, supply chain and waste. CSRD requires large EU companies to report all three scopes from financial year 2024.

CRREM — Carbon Risk Real Estate Monitor

CRREM provides science-based carbon reduction pathways aligned to 1.5°C and 2°C global warming targets, segmented by building type and country. Properties that exceed the pathway are “stranded” — at risk of regulatory penalties, reduced asset value and tenant flight. The CRREM tool is widely used by institutional investors for portfolio-level climate risk assessment.

CSRD Reporting Requirements

The EU Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD) entered force in 2024, requiring large undertakings to disclose GHG emissions (ESRS E1), energy consumption (ESRS E1-5) and climate transition plans. Building carbon data feeds directly into ESRS E1 disclosures. UK-listed companies follow equivalent requirements under TCFD and SECR.