The methodology in this standard is globally applicable, however numerical assumptions provided are based on UK locations and standard practices due to the availability and accessibility of data. Readers will therefore find that the methodology is more comprehensive and detailed for UK practitioners, however the standard also provides a framework for which WLCA can be effectively undertaken in all other locations and world regions. A full global methodology is not practical due to the variances in and availability of several key components, including specific product data, knowledge of individual countries’ approaches and assumptions to grid decarbonisation and overall end of life assumptions. To help overcome this, the standard provides comprehensive information of what “local” information should be used.
Whole life carbon assessment (WLCA) for the built environment
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The RICS whole life carbon assessment (WLCA) standard is set to become the world-leading standard for consistent and accurate carbon measurement in the built environment. This 2nd edition builds upon the success of the existing RICS WLCA standard, having been extended to cover all buildings and infrastructure throughout the built environment life cycle.
Using the WLCA standard, assessors can estimate the amount of carbon emitted throughout the life cycle of a constructed asset, from the early stages of development though to the end of life. It gives visibility to embodied carbon, operational carbon, and user carbon – something that is vital to carbon calculations and a unique feature of the RICS standard.
By giving visibility to the carbon cost of different design choices, the standard aims to help manage carbon budgets, reduce lifetime emissions and deliver a net-zero future for the built environment.
“The second edition of whole life carbon assessment for the built environment encapsulates RICS' role as a global leader in the built environment and its duty to steer the industry towards decarbonisation. This second edition is a truly global standard for a global problem. I want to thank our members from every world region, our staff, partner specialists and the Department for Transport and Net Zero Waste Scotland for their hard work and crucial support, which made this a reality.”
Justin Young
RICS CEO
Implementing WLCA 2nd edition
Calculating and reporting carbon emissions over the lifecycle of a built asset
Through an assessment methodology based on six key principles:
- Comprehensive
- Data-driven
- Consistent
- Practical
- Aligned
- Integrated
Production
- Raw material extraction
- Manufacturing
- Transportation
Construction
- transportation
- assembly
- installation
Operation
- use
- maintenance
- repair
- renewal
End of life
- deconstruction
- waste processing
- disposal
Beyond asset life
potential for:
- reuse
- recycling
- energy recovery
Related guides and documents
Global harmonisation framework for whole life carbon assessment for the built environment
There is a need for countries to adopt harmonised approaches for whole life carbon assessments, and our global harmonisation framework on WLCA details how the RICS whole life carbon assessment in the built environment standard, as the most consistent and comprehensive methodology developed to assess emissions over the asset’s life cycle, can achieve the needed harmonisation.
Published date: 01 March 2024
Whole life carbon assessments - A guide for clients
WLCA is the world’s only comprehensive standard for whole life carbon methodology for constructed assets. The WLCA client guide will provide the details you need to procure and instruct providers to perform an assessment that helps reduce embodied and operational carbon emissions expected to be emitted over the entire life cycle of new builds and existing assets.
Published date: 29 February 2024
Capacity building playbook for a sustainable built and natural environment
A sustainable built and natural environment demands a workforce equipped with the necessary expertise and abilities to contribute to achieving net zero. The shortage of skills significantly hinders the shift towards sustainable methods. Our capacity building playbook for a sustainable built and natural environment features a straightforward and expandable modular design that can be customised to create capacity-building initiatives that encourage net zero and resilient construction practices.
Published date: 29 February 2024
National playbook for implementing whole life carbon assessments
WLCA focuses on contributing to a low carbon future for construction by providing a consistent and transparent approach to managing carbon budgets in building and infrastructure projects. Our national playbook for implementing whole life carbon assessments provides the step-by-step approach to be taken to use and embed the standard in your existing policy, legislation or measurement frameworks.
Published date: 29 February 2024
Supporting documents to use the standard
Adoptions and endorsements
“The UK is a world leader in decarbonising transport. This new standard will help reduce the carbon footprint of not only transport projects, but also from projects across all buildings, as the UK works to grow its economy and reach its net zero goals.”
Jesse Norman MP
Decarbonisation Minister, Department for Transport
“This landmark publication will be a key driver for circularity as it provides a vital standard for assessing carbon over the whole life of a building. This whole life consideration prompts built environment professionals to confront the carbon impacts a building has before, during and after its use.”
Stephen Boyle
Built Environment Manager at Zero Waste Scotland
“The ICMS Coalition will support carbon measurement standards that are open, consistent, comprehensive, and align with and promote ICMS for life cycle costs and carbon emissions reporting. The first carbon measurement standard endorsed by the ICMS Coalition is the RICS Whole Life Carbon Assessment, Professional Standard, 2nd edition, which is a global approach to the measurement of carbon in the built environment. The coalition welcomes the adoption and alignment of ICMS 3rd edition within the new RICS standard. The ICMS Coalition welcomes other carbon measurement standard setters to contact us and be accessed for endorsement.”
ICMS Coalition
“CRREM initiative is supporting the RICS Whole Life Carbon Assessment, Professional Standard, 2nd edition. In our latest publication on “Embodied carbon of retrofits,” we are already referring to it. Global alignment, clear definitions and standards are key to ensure sufficient speed to achieve net zero by 2050 and avoid any form of greenwashing.”
CRREM
“Under our Sustainable Infrastructure Program, Transport for NSW is proudly working with our industry partners to deliver a world-leading program to decarbonise infrastructure across our $72.3 billion pipeline of work. Our adoption of the game changing RICS 2nd Edition, ICMS3 and PAS2080 standards demonstrate they translate internationally, providing certainty of process and clarity of purpose to all our partners, both in Australia and from around the globe.”
Camilla Drover
Deputy Secretary, Infrastructure and Place at Transport for NSW
Contact us
To find out more about the standard or for support in embedding it within your organisation, please contact our experts at: standards@rics.org
FAQs
For a whole life carbon assessment to be compliant with this standard, all mandatory requirements must be met whether the assessor is an RICS member or not. A certificate of compliance, as per the WLCA standard, should be produced to provide evidence that the methodology has been applied.
The WLCA standard takes effect on 1 July 2024, nine months after publication. However, RICS will not regulate against the assessments produced or verify the actual results delivered. Instead. we will require that when a WLCA is undertaken by RICS members, it is a mandatory to be done in accordance with our professional standard, unless clear departures from it are identified. Further, RICS members are always required to ensure their professional obligations, in accordance with the RICS Rules of Conduct are met.
The WLCA standard provides the detailed methodology to enable consistent measurement and quantification of whole life carbon emissions, inclusive of all embodied and operational carbon throughout the whole life cycle of the asset, from initial design to end of life.
Included in this methodology is the International Cost Management Standard 3rd Edition (ICMS 3), a high-level reporting classification framework for both cost (capital and life cycle) and carbon of all built environment assets, globally.
The Built Environment Carbon Database (BECD) - currently only available in the UK - will be the repository where the WLCA data is submitted and stored for industry benchmarking and utilisation.
The UK Net Zero Carbon Building Standard (NZCBS), collaboratively developed by a cross-industry group, will set the targets and limits for building assets to be officially recognised as net-zero in line with the required scientific pathways. The measurement of carbon emissions to meet the NZCBS will be in accordance with RICS WLCA.
The International Building Operation Standard (IBOS), launched in 2022, is also an important part of visualising whole life carbon, specifically how carbon is measured while a building is in use, and how this can be reduced, to not only decrease carbon footprint, but to improve the environment of the building for the people who use them.
The 2nd edition of this professional standard is a significant expansion of the first, published in 2017. The most substantial changes are as follows:
- The 2nd edition aligns with the International Cost Management Standards (ICMS) 3rd Edition and the Built Environment Carbon Database (BECD) to provide a consistent output of cost and carbon reporting and benchmarking, for both new builds and existing assets. It also incorporates other professional guidance around embodied carbon measurement, for example from other professional bodies such as Chartered Institution of Building Services Engineers (CIBSE), Institute of Structural Engineers (IStructE) and the Centre for Window & Cladding Technology (CWCT).
- It sets a standard approach for assessing whole life carbon across the entire asset life cycle, particularly for benchmarking and early-stage advice, and now extends to both buildings and infrastructure, to enable WLCA to be undertaken across all sectors and asset types. Its better integration with existing software tools will make it easier to be used by SMEs, which make up approximately 80% of RICS members.
- The 2nd edition incorporates latest industry-agreed definitions for carbon terminology, to enable a clear understanding and approach and standardises the approach to assessing risk in terms of carbon assessment reporting.
- It addresses uncertainty in WLCA reporting by introducing the mandatory requirement to calculate and report a contingency allowance, which will vary dependent upon the stage at which the WLCA is produced, and the quality of the data being used.
- From a technical perspective the 2nd edition now includes greater detail of carbon data sources and conversion factors, explains the differences between manufacturer specific data, sector average data and generic data and provides additional guidance on grid and material decarbonisation, carbon sequestration and biogenic carbon. Guidance on retrofit and alignment with the circular economy will enable professionals to work to the most up-to-date standards.
Funding support has come from the UK Department for Transport and from Zero Waste Scotland, a not-for-profit environmental organisation, funded by the Scottish Government and European Regional Development Fund. The funding has gone toward compensating the technical authors and experts who have given their skills, knowledge and expertise to develop this professional standard.
The WLCA standard provides clear guidance on carbon reduction and mitigation. It aligns with national and regional carbon budgets and benchmarks to limit whole life, embodied or operational carbon values.
In the UK, the Built Environment Carbon Database (BECD) will provide a range of carbon benchmarks at both an asset/entity and a material/product specific level. The UK Net Zero Carbon Buildings Standard (NZCBS) will determine the targets and limits for building assets to be officially recognised as net-zero in line with the required scientific pathways.
Yes, these products are currently under development by RICS and will be made available for RICS members as soon as possible.
As part of the development of WLCA 2nd edition, tool providers have been kept informed of the changes, updates and additions made from the 2017 edition. In order for these software tools to be compliant with the updated WLCA standard, they will need to make the required changes once the WLCA Standard takes effect, nine months after publication.
