Embodied Carbon Reporting
What Is Included in an Embodied Carbon Report?
An embodied carbon report should make the carbon impact of a building visible, explain how the result was reached and show where the main material hotspots sit.
An embodied carbon report is a project specific assessment of the carbon emissions associated with the physical building. It usually focuses on materials, quantities, construction scope and lifecycle stages rather than the energy used to operate the building.
The exact contents of a report depend on the project type, assessment purpose, documentation available and reporting pathway. A concept design review may be broad and indicative, while a detailed report may use more refined quantities, specifications, schedules and product information.
In most cases, the purpose of the report is to make material carbon understandable. It should show what was assessed, what data was used, which assumptions apply, what the results mean and where design or specification decisions may affect the outcome.
In Brief
An embodied carbon report usually includes scope, methodology, assumptions, results and carbon hotspots.
Scope
The report should define the building elements, lifecycle stages and assessment boundaries included in the review.
Results
The report should present total carbon, carbon intensity and useful breakdowns by material, element or lifecycle stage.
Transparency
The report should explain assumptions, exclusions, limitations and the reliability of the available information.
Report Scope
1. Project Scope and Assessment Boundaries
The first part of an embodied carbon report should define what is being assessed. This may include the building type, project stage, assessment purpose, building elements included and lifecycle stages considered.
Scope is important because embodied carbon reporting can vary significantly. A high level early design review is not the same as a detailed assessment prepared for a formal rating pathway, planning submission or procurement decision.
The report should clearly state whether it includes structure, envelope, interiors, services, external works, construction activity, replacement cycles or end of life assumptions.
Building Elements
2. Building Elements Included in the Review
An embodied carbon report commonly identifies the building elements included in the assessment. This helps the project team understand whether the result reflects the whole building, a limited package or a specific design option.
Structure
Slabs, footings, columns, beams, cores, framing, reinforcement and structural systems.
Envelope
Façades, external walls, windows, glazing systems, roofing, insulation and membranes.
Interiors
Internal walls, linings, ceilings, flooring, joinery, finishes and fitout components where included.
Services
Mechanical, electrical, hydraulic and fire services may be included depending on scope and available information.
External Works
Hard landscaping, retaining walls, paving, civil elements and site works where relevant to the project brief.
Construction Activity
Site activity, temporary works and construction related energy may be included where required by the assessment scope.
Methodology
3. Methodology, Data Sources and Emissions Factors
An embodied carbon report should explain the method used to calculate the result. This may include the selected reporting framework, lifecycle modules, emissions factors, data sources and any product specific information used in the assessment.
Where available, Environmental Product Declarations can provide product specific data. Where product specific information is not available, generic datasets, benchmark values or reasonable assumptions may be used depending on the reporting method.
The report should make clear whether the assessment uses generic data, supplier specific information, Environmental Product Declarations or a combination of sources.
Quantity Basis
4. Quantity Basis and Material Take Off Summary
The report should describe how material quantities were established. This does not need to reproduce every drawing or schedule, but it should explain whether the assessment is based on approximate quantities, modelled quantities, consultant schedules, a bill of quantities or another source.
The level of detail depends on the project stage. Early reports may use approximate quantities or benchmark assumptions. Later stage reports may be based on more detailed material take offs and product selections.
This section is important because quantity assumptions can materially affect the final result, especially for high volume materials such as concrete, steel, masonry and façade systems.
Lifecycle Stages
5. Lifecycle Stages Considered
An embodied carbon report may consider different stages of a building’s lifecycle. Not every report includes every stage. What matters is that the scope is clear and suitable for the project purpose.
Transparency
6. Assumptions, Exclusions and Limitations
A useful embodied carbon report should not only show results. It should also explain how those results were reached. This includes key assumptions, exclusions and limitations.
For example, an early stage assessment may rely on assumed structural quantities, generic material data or preliminary specifications. A later stage report may include more refined quantities, supplier information and clearer product selections.
Clear assumptions help project teams understand how much confidence to place in the results and where further information may improve the assessment.
Results
7. Carbon Results and Hotspots
The report should present the carbon results in a way that is understandable for the project team. This may include total embodied carbon, carbon intensity and breakdowns by building element, lifecycle stage or material type.
One of the most useful outcomes is identifying carbon hotspots. These are the parts of the project where carbon impact is concentrated and where design review may have the greatest potential value.
For many projects, hotspots may sit in structure, concrete, steel, façade systems, glazing, fitout or services. The exact pattern depends on the building type and assessment scope.
Design Response
8. Practical Opportunities for Review
Depending on the brief, an embodied carbon report may include opportunities to reduce or refine the carbon profile of the project. These should be practical, project specific and considered in relation to design intent, compliance, durability, cost and buildability.
Opportunities may involve retaining existing structure, reducing unnecessary material quantities, reviewing structural efficiency, comparing product options, considering recycled content or improving specification clarity.
The goal is not to oversimplify carbon into a list of good and bad materials. The goal is to understand the project’s actual carbon drivers and make better informed decisions.
Common Misunderstanding
What Is Not Always Included?
Not every embodied carbon report includes every possible building impact. Operational energy, occupant behaviour, transport by future users, broader ecological impacts or full lifecycle environmental indicators may sit outside the scope unless specifically required.
This is why embodied carbon reporting should be distinguished from a full Life Cycle Assessment. LCA can consider a wider range of environmental impact categories, while an embodied carbon report is usually carbon focused.
It should also be distinguished from formal NABERS Embodied Carbon reporting, which follows a specific rating pathway. For more detail, read Embodied Carbon Report vs Life Cycle Assessment and Embodied Carbon Report vs NABERS Embodied Carbon.
Data Quality
How the Report Explains Information Quality
A report should explain the quality of the information used. This may include whether the assessment is based on early design drawings, developed documentation, quantity surveyor data, product specific information or assumed values.
This section belongs in the report because it helps the reader interpret the result. It is different from a full client checklist of what must be provided before work begins.
For the separate input checklist, read What Information Is Needed for an Embodied Carbon Report?.
Summary
An Embodied Carbon Report Should Make Material Carbon Visible and Usable
A good embodied carbon report does more than produce a number. It explains the scope, the method, the information used, the assumptions made, the building elements included and the parts of the project that contribute most to carbon impact.
This gives architects, developers, builders and consultants a clearer basis for design review, specification decisions and broader carbon planning.
FAQ
Common Questions About What Is Included in an Embodied Carbon Report
What is usually included in an embodied carbon report?
An embodied carbon report usually includes project scope, assessment boundaries, building elements reviewed, quantity basis, emissions factors, lifecycle stages, assumptions, exclusions, limitations, carbon results and hotspot analysis.
Does an embodied carbon report include recommendations?
It may include practical opportunities for review, depending on the brief. These may relate to material quantities, structural efficiency, product options, retained building fabric, specification clarity or other project specific carbon drivers.
Does every report include all lifecycle stages?
No. Some reports focus on upfront carbon, while others include replacement, maintenance, end of life assumptions or additional lifecycle stages. The report should clearly state which stages are included and excluded.
Why are assumptions and exclusions important?
Assumptions and exclusions help the project team understand how the result was calculated, how reliable the available information is and where further detail may improve the assessment.
Related Guidance
Continue Reading About Embodied Carbon Reporting
Information Needed for a Report
The separate input checklist for drawings, schedules, quantities and product data.
How Embodied Carbon Is Calculated
A practical guide to quantities, emissions factors and calculation logic.
Report vs LCA
When a project may need embodied carbon reporting or Life Cycle Assessment.
NABERS Embodied Carbon
How NABERS Embodied Carbon differs from a general embodied carbon report.
Project Review
Need an embodied carbon report for a building project?
Certified Energy can review your project documentation and advise whether an embodied carbon report, Life Cycle Assessment, NABERS Embodied Carbon pathway or another reporting approach is likely to be relevant.
Visit the Embodied Carbon Report Knowledge Hub
