RICS Launches New Carbon Assessment Standard

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25 September 2023

A new assessment standard from The Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors is set to become the leading framework for carbon measurement in the built environment. 

The Whole Life Carbon Assessment for the Built Environment (WLCA) standard has been updated from its first edition, released in 2017.

Produced in partnership with the UK’s Department for Transport and Net Zero Waste Scotland, the standard has been updated following a public consultation in March 2023, which received over 1,300 responses. The standard is now suitable for global use and can cover all built assets and infrastructure projects throughout the built environment lifecycle.

The professional standard aims to help property managers understand the carbon costs and benefits of design choices in construction. It provides information on calculating and reporting carbon emissions over the lifecycle of a built asset, including production, construction, operation, end of life and beyond asset life.

The Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) will take the new standard at the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP28) in Dubai, where the organisation is an accredited partner.

RICS Director of Surveying Standards, Charlotte Neal, said: “The built environment has been crying out for tools to measure its impact on climate change, which is crucial for developing mitigating practices to significantly reduce the industry's carbon output.

“By providing a consistent methodology to assess the carbon output of buildings throughout their entire lifecycle, the second edition of WLCA will significantly improve the industry's ability to measure and manage its impact on climate. Thank you to RICS' members, staff and partners for your unceasing support of our work in leading the built environment towards a sustainable, net-zero future.”

Picture: a photograph of the side of a building with several windows, showing people working at desks inside. Image Credit: Unsplash

Article written by Ella Tansley | Published 25 September 2023

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