The IS Insights: Embodied Carbon Benchmark is a practical decision-support tool that helps infrastructure projects estimate and benchmark construction-phase embodied carbon using a small number of readily available project inputs.
By making embodied carbon easier to measure and compare, IS Insights helps project teams incorporate sustainability considerations into planning, investment and delivery decisions.
Reducing embodied carbon is becoming increasingly important for infrastructure owners, governments, contractors and investors. Yet reliable carbon information is often unavailable during the stages of a project where key strategic decisions are made.
Traditional carbon assessments can require specialist expertise, detailed project information and significant time investment. This can limit the ability to assess carbon implications when comparing options, defining project scope or establishing sustainability objectives.
At the same time, the industry has lacked a common reference point for understanding how carbon performance compares across similar infrastructure assets, making it difficult to assess outcomes and drive improvement.
Provides carbon insights using a small number of project inputs that are typically available from the outset.
Grounded in real infrastructure project data collected through the IS Rating Scheme.
Creates a common methodology for understanding and comparing embodied carbon performance of infrastructure assets.
Supports practical decision-making throughout planning, procurement and project delivery.
Establish an indicative carbon footprint that can inform project objectives and sustainability targets.
Compare potential project scenarios with a clearer understanding of their carbon implications.
Assess how project outcomes compare against infrastructure assets of a similar type and scale.
Support sustainability strategies, project reporting and organisational carbon commitments with a consistent benchmark.
Use benchmark insights to explore carbon reduction opportunities and encourage innovation throughout project development.