MAT 01: Life Cycle Impacts
"To recognise and encourage the use of construction materials with a low environmental impact (including embodied carbon) over the full life cycle of the building."
Available credits:
Only available under BREEAM UK New Construction 2018.
- Environmental impacts from construction products – 6 credits.
- Substructure and hard landscaping – 1 credit.
Aim and Benefits:
A Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) is a calculation that predicts the whole life cycle carbon emissions of a building. Not just emissions from building services, but the CO2 produced to manufacture the concrete you are using, the pipes, the glazing, the CO2 produced by the trucks/train/boats to transport materials to site, the CO2 used to destroy the building, its materials and components once its life is complete. It is the most comprehensive carbon emissions analysis currently available and its use is only going to increase.
The benefits are not only to achieve BREEAM credits, but it can also be used for the ever-intensifying focus on taxation of corporations based on their commercial CO2 emissions, such as SECR (Streamlined Energy & Carbon Reporting), a field of analysis that will likely only increase in focus over the next 30 years.
How can QuinnRoss Energy help?
QuinnRoss Energy predicted the rise of LCA’s some time ago and is already an approved assessor with the most well established LCA software available now, and have been advising clients for several years. In terms of the most amount of BREEAM credits for your money, this is the best available and is highly recommended for all new-build projects trying to achieve BREEAM certification.
Need Help With Your Project?
Contact one of our energy assessors today on 01795 845 780, or email us at hello@quinnross.energy