NABERS Embodied Carbon – A New Benchmark in Sustainable Building
Tackling Embodied Carbon in Buildings
Embodied carbon – the greenhouse gas emissions from producing and constructing building materials – is becoming a critical focus in sustainable design. Operational emissions (from energy and water use) are steadily falling thanks to efficiency and renewables, but the carbon “locked in” before a building even opens can be massive, sometimes accounting for up to 80% of its lifetime emissions. In Australia, construction-related embodied carbon currently contributes around 10% of national greenhouse emissions. Reducing these upfront emissions is key to meeting climate targets and clients are increasingly seeking ways to quantify and cut embodied carbon.
Enter the new NABERS Embodied Carbon rating tool, launched in late 2024 as a voluntary standard to measure and compare buildings’ embodied carbon footprints. Part of the National Australian Built Environment Rating System (NABERS), this tool extends NABERS’ trusted approach into the materials realm. It provides a certified way to audit the carbon impact of new building projects, much like NABERS Energy has done for operational performance. This article introduces how the NABERS Embodied Carbon tool works – leveraging industry databases and Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs) – and how it helps infrastructure and property professionals compare design options to drive down emissions. We’ll also highlight how Quantum Insights Australia (QIA) can assist clients with carbon management planning and embodied carbon measurement as this new benchmark gains momentum.
A New Rating Tool for Upfront Carbon
What is the NABERS Embodied Carbon tool? It’s a government-backed rating system to measure the upfront embodied carbon of new buildings and major refurbishments. Officially released in November 2024 with federal support, the tool is a voluntary framework that allows developers, owners, and investors to get a NABERS Embodied Carbon certificate for their project once construction is complete. Ratings can be obtained at practical completion (and up to two years after) to ensure real-world data informs the assessment.
The rating focuses on “upfront” embodied carbon, meaning emissions from materials production, transport, and construction (life cycle stages A1–A5) before the building is occupied. This includes all major building elements – the structural frame (superstructure and substructure), the facade/envelope, and base building services. Importantly, it excludes any emissions from demolishing a previous structure and even gives a zero-carbon credit to materials or components that are reused on site. It also currently excludes fit-out items like fixtures, fittings, and interior finishes, since these smaller items add relatively little upfront carbon and data on them is limited. (NABERS plans to expand into fit-out carbon in the future as data improves.)
The output of the tool is a certified measure of a building’s carbon intensity – essentially kilograms of CO₂-equivalent per square metre for the project’s embodied carbon. Where enough projects have been assessed to allow benchmarking, NABERS will also award a star rating (1–6 stars) indicating how a building’s embodied carbon compares to its peers. Initially, not all building types will get a star rating until more data is gathered; for now, the certificate provides a trusted carbon metric. This “audit-ready” framework means the results are verified by an accredited NABERS Assessor and backed by evidence (material quantities, delivery dockets, etc.), giving confidence in the accuracy.
Why is this a big deal? Until now, measuring embodied carbon often meant using disparate calculators or rough datasets, leading to inconsistent results. NABERS brings a common national standard. It has been developed collaboratively with industry since 2021, ensuring it’s robust and practical. Moreover, it’s not just a standalone initiative – it’s set to integrate with other sustainability programs. The tool is expected to be recognised for Green Star credits (the Green Building Council’s rating system now rewards upfront carbon reductions), and it aligns with the Climate Active Carbon Neutral Buildings standard for those pursuing carbon-neutral certification. Looking ahead, the Australian Building Codes Board is considering making embodied carbon reporting a voluntary pathway in the 2025 National Construction Code for commercial buildings. In short, embodied carbon accountability has arrived, and the NABERS tool provides a credible yardstick for it.
How It Works: Data-Driven Carbon Measurement
The NABERS Embodied Carbon tool works by combining industry-average data with project-specific inputs to calculate a building’s embodied emissions. At its core is a National Emission Factors Database – a library of carbon factors for common construction materials and processes. These default factors (developed from Australian life-cycle data) let the tool estimate emissions for materials like concrete, steel, aluminium, glass, etc., based on quantity. However, to improve accuracy, NABERS strongly encourages use of product-specific data whenever possible. This means if a project uses a material that has an Environmental Product Declaration (EPD) – an independently verified report of that product’s environmental impacts – the EPD’s carbon intensity value can be used instead of the generic factor. EPDs following ISO 14025 and EN 15804/ISO 21930 standards are accepted, such as those registered with EPD Australasia. By plugging in real EPD numbers (for example, for a low-carbon concrete mix or rebar made from recycled steel), the assessment reflects the project’s actual choices rather than industry averages. This mechanism rewards teams for choosing lower-carbon products and drives manufacturers to provide transparent data.
To get a rating, a project team will compile a detailed Bill of Quantities and evidence for all the key materials used. The NABERS calculator (now available on the NABERS website) can be used early on to estimate emissions during design, helping compare options before final decisions. At the end of construction, the formal assessment requires documentation – for example, delivery dockets and procurement records for materials – ensuring the claimed quantities and sources are verified. The data is input into the tool along with relevant transport distances and construction activities. The output is the total upfront embodied carbon, which NABERS normalises per floor area for fairness. An accredited assessor reviews all inputs and calculations to certify the result. This rigorous process means no more “back-of-the-envelope” guesses – everything is transparent and quality-controlled, giving building owners a trusted number to work with.
Key features of the NABERS Embodied Carbon tool include:
Comprehensive scope: It covers all major structural and envelope elements of a building (foundations, frames, walls, roof, basic services), capturing the bulk of construction emissions. Minor interior fit-out elements are left out initially to keep things manageable and data reliable.
Reuse incentive: If parts of an existing structure are retained and reused (say the building frame or facade), the tool assigns zero emissions to those reused components. This encourages circularity – adaptive reuse and refurbishment get credit for avoiding new material production.
Quality data emphasis: NABERS prioritises using high-quality, specific data. Default emission factors are provided as a safety net, but project teams are encouraged to use EPDs and certified product data for greater accuracy. All data inputs are scrutinised by an independent assessor, which elevates the credibility of the results.
Comparison and improvement: Because results are benchmarked against similar building types, owners can see how their project stacks up – for instance, X kg CO₂e/m² compared to the market average. This comparability drives competition and improvement. Design teams can experiment with the publicly available NABERS carbon calculator to test different designs or materials and see how it would affect their rating. In this way, the tool doubles as a decision-support tool during design and a rating tool at completion.
Overall, the process demystifies embodied carbon. By providing a clear method and requiring evidence-backed inputs, NABERS is standardising how we measure embodied emissions. As a result, sustainability targets around construction materials can be tracked with the same rigor as energy or water performance.
Comparing Design Options for Lower Carbon Outcomes
One of the most powerful aspects of the NABERS Embodied Carbon tool is how it enables better decision-making during design. The availability of the NABERS rating calculator for upfront carbon means project teams can model different design scenarios early on. For example, an office developer could compare a conventional concrete structure versus a hybrid timber structure and immediately see the difference in expected embodied emissions. If one option yields a significantly lower kg CO₂e/m², that insight can guide the design direction long before construction starts. In essence, the tool turns carbon into a design parameter, much like cost or aesthetics.
Because the tool provides an intensity metric (emissions per square metre), it’s easy to compare like for like. Design trade-offs can be evaluated: thicker post-tensioned slabs vs. more columns, or imported facade materials vs. local alternatives. Each choice shifts the carbon tally. Using the NABERS methodology and data, professionals can test “what-if” scenarios quickly. This helps avoid making decisions on gut feeling or incomplete data. Instead, a developer might discover that using higher-strength concrete (with more cement) greatly increases carbon, prompting a switch to mixes with supplementary cementitious materials (e.g. fly ash or slag) to cut emissions. Or an architect might see that an elaborate facade treatment has a big carbon cost, leading them to simplify it or use recycled content.
Furthermore, by benchmarking against similar projects, the tool gives context. If a design is coming out with, say, 600 kg CO₂e/m² and the emerging benchmark for that building type is 500, the team knows early that they are lagging and can explore improvements – whether through material changes, suppliers with EPDs, or even considering reuse of elements from any existing structures on site. This comparative insight pushes innovation: architects and engineers can aim not just to meet a baseline, but to exceed it and perhaps target a NABERS 5-star or 6-star embodied carbon outcome as a mark of excellence (once star ratings become available for that sector).
In practical terms, the NABERS tool helps integrate carbon considerations alongside cost consulting. Often there is a perception that cutting carbon might raise costs, but the tool allows a balanced analysis. Many decarbonisation strategies – like using less material through efficient design, or choosing local products to reduce transport – can actually save money while saving carbon. Infrastructure Australia estimates that applying “simple decarbonisation strategies” (like material efficiency and low-carbon alternatives) could reduce upfront construction emissions by up to 23% by 2027. With NABERS providing a way to quantify those savings in carbon terms, project teams can pursue such strategies more confidently.
For clients and developers, this means better outcomes all around: designs that are not only cost-effective and functional, but also demonstrably lower in environmental impact. As the market embraces this new benchmark, expect to see embodied carbon targets in project briefs, alongside budget and program. The NABERS tool equips professionals to meet those targets by making embodied carbon visible, measurable, and comparable during the decision-making process.
QIA’s Support: Carbon Planning and Embodied Carbon Services
Implementing embodied carbon measurement and reduction can be complex – this is where Quantum Insights Australia (QIA) can assist. QIA offers integrated cost and carbon advisory services, so sustainable choices can be made without compromising financial goals. As independent carbon planners and quantity surveyors, QIA’s team uniquely combines carbon footprint analysis with cost planning. This means every carbon reduction strategy we propose is also evaluated through a cost lens, enabling holistic decisions that deliver both environmental and economic value.
Our key services – as outlined in our capability statements – include:
Embodied Carbon Estimates (Upfront Carbon Assessments): We provide detailed embodied carbon estimates from the early stages of project planning. By quantifying the A1–A5 emissions (extraction through construction) for your design options, we give you a complete picture of your asset’s carbon footprint alongside cost estimates. This early insight highlights the “carbon hotspots” (e.g. concrete, steel) and lets you test alternatives. Armed with both carbon and cost data, you’re empowered to make design choices that minimise emissions in the most cost-efficient manner. For example, in a 2024 case study we compared prefabricated panels vs. traditional construction for a NSW housing project, and demonstrated measurable savings in both cost and carbon by opting for the low-carbon design. This dual analysis ensures you don’t have to sacrifice budget for sustainability, or vice versa – often, you can achieve both.
Carbon Management Planning: QIA develops comprehensive Carbon Management Plans (CMPs) to guide projects toward net-zero objectives. We specialise in crafting CMPs that align with government policies like the NSW Decarbonising Infrastructure Delivery Policy and the Technical Guidance for Embodied Carbon Measurement. Every CMP we produce integrates carbon reduction initiatives with cost and schedule considerations, ensuring the plan is practical and financially sound. By embedding carbon strategies into business cases and project charters, we help clients gain stakeholder confidence that carbon goals will be met cost-effectively. (In one engagement, QIA prepared a CMP for a public infrastructure business case, mapping out how to cut embodied carbon by over 20% while staying within the project’s budget.) Our carbon planning service means from day one, your project has a clear, audited roadmap to balance cost and carbon outcomes.
Carbon Value Engineering Workshops: Much like traditional value engineering optimises cost vs. function, our carbon value engineering sessions identify ways to optimise carbon vs. cost on your project. We bring together project stakeholders and use our dual expertise to brainstorm material substitutions, design tweaks, or construction methods that reduce carbon emissions and save money. For instance, we might evaluate high-recycled-content materials, modular construction, or local sourcing – quantifying how each change impacts upfront carbon and capital cost. By evaluating ideas through both prisms, we find “sweet spots” where a design change yields a win-win: lower carbon footprint at equal or lower cost. The result is a set of actionable strategies for carbon reduction that are justified not only environmentally but also economically, making them far easier to approve and implement.
Carbon Measurement & Reporting Services: As part of our “carbon surveying” role, QIA can also act as an independent verifier for embodied carbon calculations. If you are pursuing a NABERS Embodied Carbon rating (or just internal targets), we can review your data and methodology, providing third-party assurance. Our team produces clear, auditable reports where savings in carbon are demonstrated with accuracy. By translating technical carbon metrics into business impacts (like cost savings or risk reduction), we help your team and stakeholders fully understand the value of the embodied carbon initiatives. In short, we ensure that your project’s carbon performance is tracked and reported with the same rigor as other key project metrics, like cost and schedule.
Why engage QIA? By integrating cost and carbon expertise, QIA helps clients find the optimal balance between budget and sustainability goals. We recognise that our clients operate in the real world of tight budgets and performance targets – our approach ensures that cutting carbon doesn’t result in cost blowouts, and in fact often reveals efficiencies. With QIA’s guidance, infrastructure and property professionals can confidently pursue ambitious carbon reductions knowing they remain on solid financial ground. Our holistic advisory services mean you get the best of both worlds: projects that achieve significant embodied carbon reductions and deliver value for money, strengthening your business case and your sustainability credentials at the same time.
