Embodied carbon represents the accumulative emissions a particular material or product generates throughout its lifetime, from manufacturing stage to installation during construction, maintenance and disposal at its end of life.
Classified as critical infrastructure buildings, data centres are required to meet high levels of security, performance and insurance conditions, thus having to rely on traditional high performing, durable materials such as concrete, steel and aluminium – amongst the highest in embodied carbon content.
As material specifiers, we engage with stakeholders in the supply chain to stay up to date with advances to manufacturing processes of traditional materials and to encourage a growing portfolio of lower carbon alternatives. We analyse embodied carbon data from EPD certificates and prioritise reduced upfront carbon (A1-A5) and circularity whenever possible.
studioNWA has also developed ECMat, its own carbon management tool to produce project case studies and to benchmark embodied carbon of materials as we continue to improve our carbon-conscious spec.
Measure. Monitor progress. Push for change. That’s studioNWA‘s approach to advancing Net Zero.

Life Cycle Assessment Stages: BS EN 15978:2011