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A pre-design carbon calculator has been launched in a bid to boost the green credentials of the construction industry.
The free online tool will allow the industry to evaluate sustainable options at the earliest stages of construction and covers various building sectors. Developed by Faithful+Gould, the tool will ensure costs associated with carbon saving techniques are properly budgeted for at the very start of a project.
The tool is already used by Faithful+Gould project managers to evaluate sustainable options at the pre-design stage. It was initially conceived by Faithful+Gould to help deliver a low carbon solution for schools for the Department for Children, Schools and Families (DCSF). It allows carbon design advice, based on potential carbon savings, to be made from the outset. The tool is being used by the DCSF to procure schools with a 60% reduction in carbon emissions. The DCSF are providing additional funding of approximately £500,000 per secondary school to fund these carbon reduction measures. Faithful+Gould has modified the thinking learned from this project to develop a tool that will assess carbon emissions from other building types.
It is intended that the tool will allow a whole new audience of technical experts to assess the relative cost benefits and risks of low carbon techniques and technology, and agree budget-plausible design targets. The simple tool uses assumptions when project specific data is unavailable but allows users to visit the calculation throughout the process, inputting details when they are available.
Sean Lockie, Director at Faithful+Gould, said: "Our project managers are already using this tool to ensure we offer our clients the very best in sustainability consultancy. However, we have made this tool available to everyone in a bid to boost the green credentials of the industry as too often carbon saving initiatives are dropped from projects because they have not been properly budgeted for at the beginning. At Faithful+Gould we are proud to be leading the way in providing sustainable solutions."
(CD/JM)
