HENN, the Berlin-based architecture firm, has launched CarbonBudget, a free online tool that calculates a project-specific CO2 budget for buildings. It uses simple inputs like location, completion year, and building area to estimate whether a European building's emissions are compatible with the Paris Agreement's 1.5C target. The tool draws on data from the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi) and the Carbon Risk Real Estate Monitor (CRREM), and it factors in ongoing grid decarbonization. CarbonBudget is aimed at architects, engineers, developers, and policymakers who need an early-stage check on a project's carbon footprint. It also includes a "Calculating Climate Cost" option that shows the societal cost when a building exceeds its budget, using figures from the German Federal Environment Agency. The tool is not a full life cycle assessment, but it gives a practical way to compare design options before major decisions are made.
