Understanding RICS Whole Life Carbon Assessment in 5 Minutes

What is RICS Whole Life Carbon Assessment (WLCA)?

The RICS Whole Life Carbon Assessment (WLCA) for the Built Environment provides a standardised methodology for measuring embodied and operational carbon across a building's life cycle. It supports more consistent carbon accounting, allowing developers, architects, and policymakers to make informed decisions that reduce emissions.

This guide simplifies the key aspects of RICS WLCA, helping you understand why it matters and how to apply it in practice.

Why is WLCA Important?

Whole Life Carbon vs Traditional Building Carbon Assessments

For a long time, carbon assessments focused solely on operational emissions (e.g., heating and electricity use). WLCA evaluates total emissions from cradle to grave, including:

• Embodied Carbon: Emissions from material extraction, production, transport, construction, use, maintenance, replacement and end of life.
• Operational Carbon: Emissions from energy use over the building's lifespan.

Regulatory and Industry Adoption

• Mandatory for RICS Members from July 2024: WLCA has become a required standard for professionals in real estate and construction.
• Supports London's Whole Life-Cycle Carbon (WLCA) Policy: Required for major developments in London.
• Required for UK Net Zero Carbon Certification
• Aligns with Part Z: Industry-supported suggestion for the regulation of carbon limits.

Whole Life Carbon and Planning Policy: GLA London Plan

The Greater London Authority (GLA) Whole Life-Cycle Carbon (WLCA) Assessment policy mandates that all referable developments submit a Whole Life-Cycle Carbon Assessment at key planning stages:

1. Pre-Planning: Initial LCA report detailing projected carbon impacts.
2. Detailed Design and Construction: Updated reports showing carbon reduction efforts.
3. Post-Completion: Final assessment verifying as-built carbon performance.

Key Requirements of the GLA WLCA Policy

• Assessments must follow the RICS methodology for consistency.
• Carbon reduction strategies must be demonstrated at each stage.
• Developments should aim for significant embodied carbon reductions, aligning with UKGBC and LETI benchmarks.

Why This Matters

• Developers must integrate carbon assessment early to avoid costly design revisions.
• Compliance with GLA's WLCA policy is essential for planning approval in London.
• Provides a framework for future national policy, including Part Z regulations.

How to Apply WLCA in Your Projects

Follow the Four LCA Stages

The methodology aligns with standard Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) stages:

• Stage A: Product and construction phase (raw materials, transport, and site works).
• Stage B: Use phase (building operation, maintenance, and refurbishment, operational energy and water).
• Stage C: End-of-life (demolition, waste management, and recycling).
• Stage D: Beyond the system boundary (future carbon benefits of reuse and recycling).

Use WLCA for Decision-Making

Applying WLCA early in design enables:

• Efficient design based on improving the efficient use of resources
• Material selection based on carbon impact hotspots
• Scenario analysis for reducing embodied carbon
• Net zero carbon strategies through lifecycle optimisation

Use LCA Tools for WLCA Compliance

• eTool Cerclos: Well-automated LCA tool for construction
• One Click LCA: A widely used BIM-integrated tool with a large volume of datasets
• EC3 (Embodied Carbon in Construction Calculator): Helps compare material carbon footprints
• GaBi and SimaPro: Advanced software for lifecycle carbon modelling

Conclusion

The RICS Whole Life Carbon Assessment and GLA's Whole Life-Cycle Carbon (WLCA) Policy are becoming critical frameworks for sustainable construction. By adopting WLCA, developers and designers can comply with regulations, improve sustainability credentials, and reduce carbon emissions across the entire building lifecycle.

Need help implementing WLCA? Contact LCD Consulting for expert guidance.