Introduction
Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) is increasingly required in the building industry, yet it remains difficult to integrate into the design workflow. The challenge is that LCA operates across multiple scales, from macro-level building decisions to micro-level material choices.
This is especially relevant for designers, since they have to engage with these considerations from the conceptual phase through to execution. In this sense, carbon assessment should not be treated as final evaluation step, but as a continuous input that informs decision-making throughout the project.
However, what is currently missing is a design-integrated tool. In most cases, designers still depend on external tools and disconnected workflows to perform these calculations, making the process complex and time-consuming. This fragmentation creates friction, slows down iteration, and makes it harder to use carbon emissions feedback as an active design parameter.
So, the gap we identify is the lack of seamless integration between embodied carbon calculation and the design process. This affects everyone from concept and structural teams evaluating massing structural strategies, to façade and material specialists comparing embodied carbon intensities, and detail designers refining components.
Proposed Solution
Embodied Carbon Calculation
The proposed solution features a Speckle Automate function that works as an embodied carbon calculator. The tool evaluates each selected layer and automatically generates the key quantities required for carbon assessment. For each layer, it calculates element quantities, area, volume, mass, and the associated carbon emissions, while also generating the necessary documentation. The goal is to make embodied carbon assessment faster and more directly connected to the design workflow.
How It Works
On the input side, the tool uses a Speckle model organized by layers, together with a user-defined material database on Google Sheet that includes material name, density, and carbon emission factors.
In the process phase, the python script filters the elements by layer name, reads their area and volume properties, and when volume data is equal to zero, for example for surfaces or open meshes, it calculates it by multiplying area by thickness provided by the user. It then reads the material data from the Google Sheet, calculates the mass of each element, and finally computes the embodied carbon emissions.
On the output side, the tool generates carbon emission values for each layer and compiles the results into a PDF embodied carbon report.
User Workflow
The users first add the URL of the Google Sheet URL with the material database containing the key properties for each material. Then, they can type the layer names they want to analyze, select the material from the dropdown menu, and specify thickness information where needed. Finally, they set the parameters, choosing the model to analyze and trigger the automation.
This approach allows for maximum flexibility, since the same Speckle function can be applied to different models with different layer names, and users can also add their own material properties in the database.
The tool provides direct feedback in the Speckle window, including for each layer the number of analyzed elements and their calculated area, volume, mass, and carbon emissions. At the same time, it generates a PDF report that organizes the results in a more readable table format and includes an overall summary.
The same function and process can also be applied to more detailed building elements like the facade panels to analyze the impact of different materials.
Success Criteria
In terms of time, carbon analysis was previously a time-consuming task, while now the workflow provides real-time feedback and automated documentation. This allows faster iteration and supports real-time decision-making.
In terms of scale, analysis was often limited to high-level whole-building estimations. Now, the same workflow can be applied to elements across multiple building scales, which leads to a more complete project understanding and more reliable totals.
In terms of adaptability, analysis used to be project-specific, while the current workflow can be adjusted to different markets and local data sources. This makes the tool reusable for different projects and design changes.
Finally, in terms of decision-making, carbon analysis was previously separated from the design workflow. Now, carbon feedback is integrated directly into the design process, which supports better-informed design choices.
What’s next?
At the moment, the workflow still has some limitations. Each layer can only be assigned a single material, the embodied carbon calculation is based only on the emission factor in kgCO₂e/kg, it currently works with Brep and Mesh geometries, and it only considers the A1 to A3 life cycle stages.
These limitations also define the direction for version 2.0. The next step include making outputs editable as csv files, incorporating additional life cycle stages, and supporting composite materials by calculating blended emission factors proportionally. Further developments could also include warnings based on benchmarks or code requirements, as well as tracking carbon values across model versions over time.
