Embodied carbon becomes truly tangible when we think in terms of a life cycle. The EN 15978 standard provides a methodology for exactly this: from the extraction of the raw material, through production, transport and installation, to demolition and recycling, we must calculate CO₂ emissions.
Take the example of concrete, which is the most commonly used building material - and one of the biggest emitters of CO₂.
1. Production of concrete
The production of cement is one of the industrial processes with the highest emissions: the production of 1 ton of cement takes approx. It results in 0.6-0.9 tons of CO₂ emissions (source: IEA).
As an illustrative assumption, 300 kg of cement per cubic metre of concrete at 0.6–0.9 kg CO₂e per kg of cement contributes 180–270 kg CO₂e/m³. This is not the concrete’s complete life-cycle footprint; actual assessment requires product-specific data.
Add to this the aggregate, sand, water and energy required for mixing → a total of approx. 250-300 kg CO₂/m³ concrete.
2. Delivery to the construction site
On average, 30 km transport by truck for 1 m³ of concrete approx. It means 5-10 kg of CO₂ (depending on fuel consumption).
3. Installation (construction)
The energy used for installation (e.g. pumping, crane, mechanical mixing on site) is approx. 2-5 kg CO₂/m³.
This is seemingly small, but becomes a serious factor at high volumes.
4. Dismantling at the end of the service life
During the demolition of a building, the removal and grinding of concrete takes approx. It emits 10-20 kg CO₂/m³.
5. Storage and processing
If the demolished concrete is stored as waste → the carbon load is higher.
Potential reuse or recycling benefits at end of life must follow the selected assessment method. Benefits beyond the system boundary reported in module D should not be silently subtracted from emissions in modules A–C.
Summation for the life cycle of one m³ of concrete
Production: ~250-300 kg CO₂
Delivery: ~5-10 kg CO₂
Installation: ~2-5 kg CO₂
Demolition: ~10-20 kg CO₂
Storage/Processing: ± (depending on waste or recycling)
The illustrative items of 250–300, 5–10, 2–5 and 10–20 kg CO₂e add up to 267–335 kg CO₂e/m³. This is only the arithmetic total of the stated assumptions, not a verified product value or a complete life-cycle assessment.
International examples
Norway - Powerhouse projects: here the amount of concrete is optimized and recycled aggregate is used wherever possible, so the CO₂ load can be reduced by up to 30-40%.
USA - EC3 database: investors can compare the carbon intensity of different concrete mixes, so they can prioritize low-emission solutions.
Hungary - an opportunity for progress
The calculation is illustrative. A real project needs a defined method, assessment boundaries, product data and a review of client or legal requirements.
