CIBSE, Introba and Amazon Unveil New Embodied Carbon Guidance for Warehouse Equipment 

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21 May 2024

New guidance to help the logistics industry measure the embodied carbon of warehouse equipment is now available.

In conjunction with building services consultancy Introba and global e-commerce brand Amazon, the Chartered Institution of Building Services Engineers (CIBSE) has launched “Embodied carbon in building services: logistics centres” (TM65.3). It builds upon the methodology outlined in “Embodied carbon in building services: A calculation methodology” (TM65), a method for embodied carbon emissions in building services design.

The industry-first document is intended to help the logistics industry reduce its carbon footprint by gaining better knowledge about the embodied carbon of material handling equipment (MHE) and mechanical, electrical and plumbing (MEP) equipment commonly used. MHE can represent an additional 17-53 per cent of a typical logistics building’s embodied carbon.

Stakeholders such as facilities managers, logistics building owners, manufacturers, researchers and architects can use the document to make more informed decisions about the type of equipment used in their warehouses. Equipment manufacturers can also use the information to develop equipment with lower carbon footprints.   

CIBSE’s Technical Director, Dr Anastasia Mylona said: "This launch marks a significant milestone in understanding the embodied carbon implications of logistics buildings and underscores our commitment to sustainability within the built environment. By pooling our expertise with Amazon and Introba, we will empower stakeholders across the logistics sector with actionable insights to drive positive change."

Frank Lindner, Director, Operations Engineering EMEA, Amazon said: "Calculating and understanding embodied carbon is a challenge across many sectors, and we’re proud to have supported CIBSE in their efforts to create robust industry guidance that will help Amazon and all those in the industry better understand their footprints and make more informed design and buying decisions."

Introba's Head of Sustainability for UK & Europe Andy Stanton added: “TM65.3 is our first step along the journey to quantifying the embodied carbon across various logistics building typologies, particularly material handling equipment. There is no sign of demand for goods and services decreasing any time soon, so the need to understand the embodied carbon of the fast-growing logistics sector is paramount."

Picture: a photograph of a forklift truck with flats sheets of wood on its tines. Shelving can also be seen, and a person walking past. The person is blurred to suggest motion. Image Credit: Unsplash

Article written by Ella Tansley | Published 21 May 2024

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