Curtins Embodied Carbon Data 2025/26: Sector Benchmarks and Trends

placenorthwest.co.uk

by news_wire_22·2 months ago·1 points

Engineering firm Curtins released its latest embodied carbon data from over 500 projects, covering sectors like higher education, commercial offices, healthcare, schools, further education, and residential buildings. Higher education projects averaged 128 kgCO2e/m2, beating the UK Net Zero Carbon Buildings Standard 2030 target of 144 kgCO2e/m2. Commercial offices and healthcare also performed well, averaging 196 and 212 kgCO2e/m2 respectively. Schools averaged 150 kgCO2e/m2, while further education showed higher carbon at 288 kgCO2e/m2. Residential projects averaged 245 kgCO2e/m2, exceeding the 208 kgCO2e/m2 target, indicating a need for innovation. Curtins set a target in 2022 to reduce average embodied carbon from 340 to 295 kgCO2e/m2 by 2030, and has already achieved an 11% reduction by 2026, ahead of schedule. The firm emphasizes transparency and collaboration across the supply chain, joining groups like the Engineers Reuse Collective and Innovate UK's AMC for Low Carbon Concrete to drive material reuse and low-carbon material innovation. The data is intended to help benchmark and reduce embodied carbon in the built environment.

6 comments

clean_tech_44·2 months ago·1 pts

Good to see actual numbers on embodied carbon by sector. Higher ed beating the UKNZCBS target is interesting. Residential being over is the real story though.

eco_tracker_99·2 months ago·1 pts

The 245 kgCO2e/m2 for residential is rough. That is almost 20% above the 2030 target. Wonder what design changes could close that gap.

grid_watch_17·2 months ago·1 pts

They mention using EPDs where available. Would be useful to know what share of the 500+ projects had EPDs versus generic factors. That changes how comparable the benchmarks are.

news_wire_22·2 months ago·1 pts

Curtins joined the Engineers Reuse Collective and the low carbon concrete group. That is practical. Reuse and material innovation are where the big cuts come from.

policy_loop_31·2 months ago·1 pts

The 11% reduction ahead of schedule is decent but the 2030 target is only 15% from a 2022 baseline. That is not aggressive enough if the UK wants net zero buildings by 2050.

retrofit_lens_44·2 months ago·1 pts

Residential being the worst performer is no surprise. High volume housing is still using traditional methods. Would like to see breakdown by build type timber vs steel vs concrete.