Estimate concrete’s embodied carbon by matching every concrete mix to a quantity and a verified emissions factor, then summing the results: project emissions = Σ (quantity of mix × GWP factor for that mix). For a product-stage estimate, the usual boundary is EPD modules A1–A3. Add A4 transport to site, A5 construction activities and later life-cycle modules only when the client, regulation or assessment method requires them.
The result is only defensible when the mix, unit, geography, EPD version, life-cycle modules and quantity source are recorded together. There is no single carbon factor that represents all concrete: cement replacement, strength, plant energy, transport and EPD methodology can change the value substantially.
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What embodied carbon means for concrete
Embodied carbon is the greenhouse-gas impact associated with producing, delivering, installing, maintaining and eventually processing a material, depending on the life-cycle boundary selected. For concrete, the largest contribution often occurs before the concrete reaches the site, particularly in cement manufacture, but the total depends on the mix and the reporting scope.
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Use the term GWP (global warming potential) for the climate indicator reported by an environmental product declaration (EPD). Report the unit exactly as the EPD states it, such as kilograms of carbon-dioxide equivalent per cubic metre (kg CO2e/m3) or per kilogram of concrete (kg CO2e/kg). Do not silently substitute a different indicator or boundary.
Set the purpose and life-cycle boundary first
Write the reporting purpose before collecting numbers. An early design comparison may need a product-stage estimate, while a planning submission, green-building certification or whole-life carbon assessment may require transport, construction, use and end-of-life stages.
| Module | What it covers | When to include it |
|---|---|---|
| A1–A3 | Raw-material extraction and processing, transport of inputs to the manufacturing plant, and concrete manufacture (cradle to gate). | Use for an upfront or product-stage result unless the governing method specifies a different boundary. |
| A4 | Transport of the concrete product from the plant to the construction site. | Include when the project method requires delivery impacts or when comparing plants at different distances. |
| A5 | Construction and installation, including relevant site energy, equipment and losses. | Include when construction-stage impacts are required; document pumping, placing, curing and wastage assumptions. |
| B modules | Use stage, such as maintenance, repair or replacement. | Include only in a whole-life assessment with a defined service-life scenario. |
| C modules | End-of-life activities, including demolition, transport and processing. | Include when the assessment extends through demolition or disposal. |
| D | Potential benefits or loads beyond the system boundary. | Report separately if the applicable standard allows it; do not mix it into A1–A3. |
RICS summarizes the basic product-stage calculation as: “A1-A3 = material quantity × material embodied carbon factor.” Its Whole Life Carbon Assessment for the Built Environment, 2nd edition, uses that relationship for material quantities and factors. Australian infrastructure guidance likewise directs teams to focus on EPD A1–A3 results for the product stage.
A1–A3 is not interchangeable with a cradle-to-grave number. Label every result with its modules, for example “A1–A3 GWP-total, 43.2 t CO2e,” and keep A4, A5 and later modules as separate additions.
Build a complete concrete quantity schedule
Start with the structural model, bill of quantities, take-off or supplier delivery tickets. Use placed quantities where the assessment asks for installed concrete; if you use ordered quantities, identify the difference and state how wastage is treated.
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Separate mixes instead of using one project average
Create one line for each materially different mix. At minimum, separate mixes by:
- Strength or exposure class, such as the specified compressive-strength class and durability requirements.
- Cement type and supplementary cementitious material (SCM) content, including slag, fly ash, calcined clay or other replacements.
- Product type, such as ready-mix, precast or site-batched concrete.
- Supplier and manufacturing plant.
- Declared unit and quantity basis: cubic metres, kilograms or tonnes.
A single strength class can still contain different cement contents or plant locations. Combining those lines before applying factors can hide a large difference in emissions.
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For each line, record the drawing or model revision, ticket period or measurement date, and whether the number is theoretical volume, delivered volume or placed volume. Record density when converting between mass and volume. Never infer density from a generic internet value when the supplier or EPD provides one.
| Field | Example entry |
|---|---|
| Mix ID | Mix A, 40 MPa, exposure class XC3 |
| Supplier and plant | Named supplier and production location |
| Quantity | 120 m3 placed, model take-off revision 06 |
| EPD identifier | Exact declaration number and publisher |
| Declared unit | 1 m3 concrete |
| GWP indicator and modules | GWP-total, A1–A3 |
| Factor | 240 kg CO2e/m3 |
| Density, if needed | Supplier or EPD value with units |
Choose an EPD and check that its factor is usable
An EPD is a quantified declaration prepared under a product category rule (PCR) and verified as a Type III environmental declaration. Prefer a facility- and product-specific, third-party-verified EPD for the actual mix. If that is unavailable, use the most specific product or regional-average EPD you can obtain and disclose the limitation.
U.S. EPA PCR criteria require the A1–A3 boundary, and any deviation from it, to be stated explicitly. They also support product- and facility-specific, third-party-verified Type III EPDs. Canadian guidance directs project teams to use the highest-resolution EPD available for each mix. These rules mean that a generic factor copied from a web page is not adequate evidence by itself.
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Verify the declaration before copying its number
- Declared or functional unit: Confirm whether the value is per cubic metre, kilogram, tonne or another unit, and whether a functional performance requirement is attached.
- Indicator: Identify GWP-total, fossil GWP, biogenic GWP and land-use-change GWP. Use the indicator required by the reporting method; do not add categories together unless the standard explicitly defines that calculation.
- Modules: Check that the number is A1–A3, A1–A5 or another clearly stated combination.
- PCR and standard: Record the PCR title and version, and whether the declaration follows EN 15804+A1, EN 15804+A2, ISO 21930 or another standard.
- Geography and plant: Confirm the country or region, electricity mix and manufacturing facility represented.
- Validity: Record publication and expiry dates. Do not treat an expired declaration as current without the program operator’s stated treatment.
- Verification: Record the verifier and declaration publisher.
As an illustration, an Australian Government Department of Infrastructure EPD example from 2024 reports 255 kg CO2e/m3 GWP-total for A1–A3. The same example lists 250 kg CO2e/m3 fossil GWP, 4 kg CO2e/m3 biogenic GWP and 1 kg CO2e/m3 land-use-change GWP. Those figures describe one declared product and are not a universal concrete factor.
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Put the quantity and factor in the same unit
Use the simplest calculation when both values are already compatible:
mix emissions (kg CO2e) = quantity (m3) × EPD factor (kg CO2e/m3)If the EPD reports kilograms of CO2e per kilogram of concrete, calculate or obtain the concrete mass:
mass (kg) = volume (m3) × density (kg/m3)
mix emissions (kg CO2e) = mass (kg) × factor (kg CO2e/kg)Use the supplier’s density or the EPD’s declared density and record its source. Keep more precision in intermediate calculations than in the final rounded tonnes.
Worked example with two concrete mixes
Suppose a project has 120 m3 of Mix A with an A1–A3 factor of 240 kg CO2e/m3 and 80 m3 of Mix B with an A1–A3 factor of 180 kg CO2e/m3. These factors are illustrative placeholders for the calculation method; replace them with the applicable EPD values.
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| Mix | Quantity | A1–A3 factor | Calculation | Emissions |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mix A | 120 m3 | 240 kg CO2e/m3 | 120 × 240 | 28,800 kg CO2e |
| Mix B | 80 m3 | 180 kg CO2e/m3 | 80 × 180 | 14,400 kg CO2e |
| Total | 200 m3 | — | 28,800 + 14,400 | 43,200 kg CO2e (43.2 t CO2e) |
The spreadsheet should retain the two line items, their EPD identifiers and the intermediate products. A single project-average factor would make it harder to audit or update the result when a mix or supplier changes.
Add transport and construction impacts without contaminating A1–A3
A4: transport from plant to site
For A4, calculate delivery impacts from the actual or specified plant, route distance, vehicle type, payload, return-trip assumption and number of deliveries. Use the transport factor required by the assessment method and state whether the distance is one-way or round-trip. Keep this addition separate from the EPD’s A1–A3 value, because the EPD may already include transport of raw materials to the plant but not delivery to the site.
A5: placing, pumping, curing and losses
Construction-stage reporting may require diesel or electricity for pumps, cranes and other equipment; water or energy used for curing; and concrete wasted during batching, delivery or placement. Apply a documented wastage percentage or ticket-based waste quantity rather than silently inflating the volume. If pumping or site energy is excluded, say so in the result.
Do not double count
Read the EPD module table before adding anything. If an EPD already includes a specified transport or installation module, do not add the same activity again. Conversely, do not assume A1–A3 includes site delivery, pumping or placement unless the declaration explicitly says so.
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Compare lower-carbon concrete options responsibly
A lower GWP factor is not automatically a compliant substitute. Evaluate alternatives against the engineering and procurement conditions that determine whether the concrete can actually be used.
| Decision criterion | Questions to answer |
|---|---|
| GWP per declared unit | Are the factors based on the same indicator, modules, unit and PCR? |
| Strength and durability | Does the mix meet specified strength, exposure, permeability, fire and service-life requirements? |
| Supplier and plant geography | Will a different plant change A4 distance, availability or delivery reliability? |
| EPD quality | Is the declaration facility-specific, third-party verified, current and applicable to the proposed mix? |
| Construction performance | Will curing time, pumpability, finishing or temperature control affect schedule and A5 impacts? |
| Cost and procurement | Can the supplier provide the mix consistently within the project programme and specification? |
Cement reduction and SCMs
Reducing cement content or increasing SCM content can lower GWP, but the effect depends on the actual materials, replacement rate, plant energy and curing regime. A mix that gains strength more slowly may require longer curing or a changed construction sequence. Specify the performance requirement first, then compare compliant EPDs rather than selecting a percentage reduction in isolation.
Use sensitivity cases for uncertain choices
When the final supplier, plant or mix is not known, model a low, central and high case. Vary only parameters that are genuinely uncertain, such as cement content, EPD factor, delivery distance or wastage. Report the range and identify which parameter drives it; do not present the central case as a measured fact.
Maintain a traceable calculation worksheet
A practical worksheet has one row per mix and columns for quantity, unit, density, EPD factor, indicator, modules, EPD identifier and calculated emissions. Include a separate assumptions sheet for transport, wastage, pumping, site energy and rounding.
- Assign a stable mix ID that matches drawings, specifications and supplier tickets.
- Enter the quantity and its source, then freeze the revision or measurement date.
- Paste the EPD factor without changing its unit or decimal precision.
- Record the PCR, standard version, geography, plant, verifier, publisher and validity period.
- Convert units only with a documented density or conversion factor.
- Calculate each mix and sum the unrounded results.
- Apply A4, A5 or later modules in separate columns.
- Run a sensitivity case for uncertain factors and retain the original case.
- Have an engineer or carbon assessor review mix compliance and the boundary before publication.
For every reported total, retain the formula, intermediate results and source documents. This makes the estimate updateable when a design revision changes the volume or a supplier issues a replacement EPD.
Common errors and how to correct them
| Symptom | Likely cause | Correction |
|---|---|---|
| A surprisingly low or high total | m3 was multiplied by a kg CO2e/kg factor, or tonnes were treated as kilograms. | Convert both values to the same declared unit and check dimensional arithmetic. |
| Two suppliers appear impossible to compare | One factor is GWP-total A1–A3 and the other is fossil GWP A1–A5. | Align indicator and modules, or report the results separately with clear labels. |
| The factor cannot be traced | A generic web value was copied without an EPD identifier or date. | Obtain the highest-resolution verified EPD available and disclose any regional-average limitation. |
| Delivery emissions are counted twice | A4 was added even though the declaration already included the same transport. | Inspect the EPD module table and remove duplicate activities. |
| Design carbon falls but the project misses programme dates | A slower-curing or less available mix was selected on GWP alone. | Recheck curing, strength gain, durability, plant capacity and delivery schedule. |
| Volume does not match invoices | The estimate uses theoretical model volume while invoices include over-ordering or waste. | Choose placed, delivered or ordered quantity deliberately and state the wastage treatment. |
What to include in the final carbon report
- Purpose, assessment method and geographic scope.
- Functional or declared unit and the source of every quantity.
- Mix ID, strength class, supplier, plant and placed volume or mass.
- EPD identifier, publisher, verifier, PCR, standard version, geography and validity.
- GWP indicator: total, fossil, biogenic or land-use-change.
- Modules included, with A1–A3, A4, A5 and later modules shown separately.
- Density or conversion factor and its source.
- Wastage, pumping, transport distances and site-energy assumptions.
- Formula, intermediate mix results, total kilograms or tonnes CO2e and sensitivity cases.
- Engineering, durability, procurement and programme constraints used to select alternatives.
Present the headline number with its boundary and unit in the same line. For example: “43.2 t CO2e, concrete A1–A3 GWP-total, based on 200 m3 of two specified mixes.” That wording prevents readers from mistaking a product-stage estimate for a whole-life result.
The defensible answer
Concrete embodied carbon is estimated by inventorying each mix, applying the best applicable verified EPD factor in a matching unit, and summing the mix-level products. Start with A1–A3 for a product-stage result, then add A4, A5 and later modules only when the governing assessment requires them. The credibility of the total rests less on a universal number than on traceable quantities, correctly interpreted EPDs, explicit assumptions and confirmation that every lower-carbon option still meets structural, durability, construction and procurement requirements.
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