Although it may not have been part of their training Quantity Surveyors are to be asked to measure embedded carbon as well as building materials requirements.
An embodied carbon calculator has been produced by Turner & Townsend, and the Royal Insitute of Chartered Surveyors believes this ‘to be exactly what the industry needs’.
The embodied carbon calculator, produced by Turner & Townsend is bespoke software which will enable clients to evaluate the carbon footprint of projects themselves from the early design stage through to the completion of the construction process, however, the publicity material does not mention whole life carbon costs.
This is designed to follow existing project planning stages starting from Royal Institute of British Architects stage 2. It is also parallel with the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors New Rules of Measurment 1 and third-party standards such as the UK Green Building Council and also compares performance against the industry targets proposed by the London Energy Tranportation Initiative.
Turner & Townsend hope that the tool will help create a database of global benchmarks and best practice. The new tool is endorsed by the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors and this will also help in the governments targets around net zero which have been set nationally and internationally.