Calculate embodied carbon in construction materials. Track CO2 emissions, compare alternatives, and generate sustainability reports.
apm install @datadrivenconstruction/carbon-calculator
[](https://apm-p1ls2dz87-atlamors-projects.vercel.app/packages/@datadrivenconstruction/carbon-calculator)---
name: "carbon-calculator"
description: "Calculate embodied carbon in construction materials. Track CO2 emissions, compare alternatives, and generate sustainability reports."
homepage: "https://datadrivenconstruction.io"
metadata: {"openclaw": {"emoji": "🌱", "os": ["darwin", "linux", "win32"], "homepage": "https://datadrivenconstruction.io", "requires": {"bins": ["python3"]}}}
---
# Carbon Calculator
## Business Case
### Problem Statement
Sustainability requirements demand:
- Tracking embodied carbon
- Comparing material options
- Meeting carbon targets
- Reporting emissions
### Solution
Calculate and track embodied carbon for construction materials using standard emission factors.
## Technical Implementation
```python
import pandas as pd
from typing import Dict, Any, List, Optional
from dataclasses import dataclass
from enum import Enum
class MaterialCategory(Enum):
CONCRETE = "concrete"
STEEL = "steel"
ALUMINUM = "aluminum"
TIMBER = "timber"
BRICK = "brick"
GLASS = "glass"
INSULATION = "insulation"
PLASTIC = "plastic"
COPPER = "copper"
OTHER = "other"
@dataclass
class CarbonFactor:
material: str
category: MaterialCategory
ec_factor: float # kgCO2e per unit
unit: str
source: str
@dataclass
class MaterialInput:
material_code: str
material_name: str
quantity: float
unit: str
category: MaterialCategory
@dataclass
class CarbonResult:
material_code: str
material_name: str
quantity: float
unit: str
ec_factor: float
embodied_carbon: float # kgCO2e
category: str
# Embodied carbon factors (kgCO2e per unit)
CARBON_FACTORS = {
# Concrete
'concrete_c20': CarbonFactor('Concrete C20', MaterialCategory.CONCRETE, 240, 'm3', 'ICE Database'),
'concrete_c30': CarbonFactor('Concrete C30', MaterialCategory.CONCRETE, 290, 'm3', 'ICE Database'),
'concrete_c40': CarbonFactor('Concrete C40', MaterialCategory.CONCRETE, 350, 'm3', 'ICE Database'),
'concrete_c50': CarbonFactor('Concrete C50', MaterialCategory.CONCRETE, 410, 'm3', 'ICE Database'),
# Steel
'steel_rebar': CarbonFactor('Rebar', MaterialCategory.STEEL, 1.99, 'kg', 'ICE Database'),
'steel_section': CarbonFactor('Steel Section', MaterialCategory.STEEL, 1.55, 'kg', 'ICE Database'),
'steel_sheet': CarbonFactor('Steel Sheet', MaterialCategory.STEEL, 2.03, 'kg', 'ICE Database'),
'steel_stainless': CarbonFactor('Stainless Steel', MaterialCategory.STEEL, 6.15, 'kg', 'ICE Database'),
# Aluminum
'aluminum_general': CarbonFactor('Aluminum General', MaterialCategory.ALUMINUM, 9.16, 'kg', 'ICE Database'),
'aluminum_recycled': CarbonFactor('Aluminum Recycled', MaterialCategory.ALUMINUM, 1.81, 'kg', 'ICE Database'),
# Timber
'timber_softwood': CarbonFactor('Softwood Timber', MaterialCategory.TIMBER, 0.31, 'kg', 'ICE Database'),
'timber_hardwood': CarbonFactor('Hardwood Timber', MaterialCategory.TIMBER, 0.46, 'kg', 'ICE Database'),
'timber_glulam': CarbonFactor('Glulam', MaterialCategory.TIMBER, 0.51, 'kg', 'ICE Database'),
'timber_clt': CarbonFactor('CLT', MaterialCategory.TIMBER, 0.44, 'kg', 'ICE Database'),
'timber_plywood': CarbonFactor('Plywood', MaterialCategory.TIMBER, 0.65, 'kg', 'ICE Database'),
# Masonry
'brick_common': CarbonFactor('Common Brick', MaterialCategory.BRICK, 0.24, 'kg', 'ICE Database'),
'block_concrete': CarbonFactor('Concrete Block', MaterialCategory.BRICK, 0.10, 'kg', 'ICE Database'),
# Glass
'glass_float': CarbonFactor('Float Glass', MaterialCategory.GLASS, 1.44, 'kg', 'ICE Database'),
'glass_double': CarbonFactor('Double Glazing', MaterialCategory.GLASS, 35.0, 'm2', 'ICE Database'),
# Insulation
'insul_mineral': CarbonFactor('Mineral Wool', MaterialCategory.INSULATION, 1.28, 'kg', 'ICE Database'),
'insul_eps': CarbonFactor('EPS', MaterialCategory.INSULATION, 3.29, 'kg', 'ICE Database'),
'insul_xps': CarbonFactor('XPS', MaterialCategory.INSULATION, 3.29, 'kg', 'ICE Database'),
# Other
'copper_pipe': CarbonFactor('Copper Pipe', MaterialCategory.COPPER, 2.71, 'kg', 'ICE Database'),
'pvc_pipe': CarbonFactor('PVC Pipe', MaterialCategory.PLASTIC, 3.10, 'kg', 'ICE Database'),
}
class CarbonCalculator:
"""Calculate embodied carbon for construction."""
def __init__(self, project_name: str):
self.project_name = project_name
self.materials: List[MaterialInput] = []
self.results: List[CarbonResult] = []
self.custom_factors: Dict[str, CarbonFactor] = {}
def add_custom_factor(self,
code: str,
name: str,
category: MaterialCategory,
ec_factor: float,
unit: str,
source: str = "Custom"):
"""Add custom carbon factor."""
self.custom_factors[code] = CarbonFactor(
material=name,
category=category,
ec_factor=ec_factor,
unit=unit,
source=source
)
def get_factor(self, material_code: str) -> Optional[CarbonFactor]:
"""Get carbon factor for material."""
# Check custom first
if material_code in self.custom_factors:
return self.custom_factors[material_code]
# Check standard factors
code_lower = material_code.lower().replace('-', '_').replace(' ', '_')
return CARBON_FACTORS.get(code_lower)
def add_material(self,
material_code: str,
material_name: str,
quantity: float,
unit: str,
category: MaterialCategory = MaterialCategory.OTHER):
"""Add material to calculation."""
self.materials.append(MaterialInput(
material_code=material_code,
material_name=material_name,
quantity=quantity,
unit=unit,
category=category
))
def calculate(self) -> List[CarbonResult]:
"""Calculate embodied carbon for all materials."""
self.results = []
for mat in self.materials:
factor = self.get_factor(mat.material_code)
if factor:
# Check unit compatibility
if factor.unit == mat.unit:
ec = mat.quantity * factor.ec_factor
else:
# Assume conversion needed - simplified
ec = mat.quantity * factor.ec_factor
else:
# Use default factor based on category
default_factors = {
MaterialCategory.CONCRETE: 300,
MaterialCategory.STEEL: 1.8,
MaterialCategory.ALUMINUM: 9.0,
MaterialCategory.TIMBER: 0.4,
MaterialCategory.BRICK: 0.2,
MaterialCategory.GLASS: 1.5,
MaterialCategory.INSULATION: 2.0,
MaterialCategory.OTHER: 1.0
}
ec_factor = default_factors.get(mat.category, 1.0)
ec = mat.quantity * ec_factor
self.results.append(CarbonResult(
material_code=mat.material_code,
material_name=mat.material_name,
quantity=mat.quantity,
unit=mat.unit,
ec_factor=factor.ec_factor if factor else 0,
embodied_carbon=round(ec, 2),
category=mat.category.value
))
return self.results
def get_total_carbon(self) -> float:
"""Get total embodied carbon (kgCO2e)."""
return sum(r.embodied_carbon for r in self.results)
def get_carbon_by_category(self) -> Dict[str, float]:
"""Get carbon breakdown by category."""
by_category = {}
for r in self.results:
if r.category not in by_category:
by_category[r.category] = 0
by_category[r.category] += r.embodied_carbon
return {k: round(v, 2) for k, v in by_category.items()}
def compare_alternatives(self,
original_code: str,
original_qty: float,
alternative_code: str,
alternative_qty: float) -> Dict[str, Any]:
"""Compare carbon impact of material alternatives."""
original_factor = self.get_factor(original_code)
alt_factor = self.get_factor(alternative_code)
if not original_factor or not alt_factor:
return {}
original_carbon = original_qty * original_factor.ec_factor
alt_carbon = alternative_qty * alt_factor.ec_factor
savings = original_carbon - alt_carbon
return {
'original_material': original_factor.material,
'original_carbon': round(original_carbon, 2),
'alternative_material': alt_factor.material,
'alternative_carbon': round(alt_carbon, 2),
'carbon_savings': round(savings, 2),
'savings_percent': round(savings / original_carbon * 100, 1) if original_carbon > 0 else 0
}
def generate_report(self) -> Dict[str, Any]:
"""Generate carbon report."""
if not self.results:
self.calculate()
total = self.get_total_carbon()
by_category = self.get_carbon_by_category()
# Find top contributors
sorted_results = sorted(self.results, key=lambda x: x.embodied_carbon, reverse=True)
top_5 = sorted_results[:5]
# Convert to tonnes
total_tonnes = total / 1000
return {
'project': self.project_name,
'total_kgCO2e': round(total, 2),
'total_tCO2e': round(total_tonnes, 2),
'material_count': len(self.results),
'by_category': by_category,
'top_contributors': [
{
'material': r.material_name,
'carbon': r.embodied_carbon,
'percentage': round(r.embodied_carbon / total * 100, 1) if total > 0 else 0
}
for r in top_5
]
}
def suggest_reductions(self) -> List[Dict[str, Any]]:
"""Suggest carbon reduction opportunities."""
if not self.results:
self.calculate()
suggestions = []
for r in self.results:
# Steel -> Timber
if r.category == 'steel' and r.embodied_carbon > 1000:
suggestions.append({
'material': r.material_name,
'current_carbon': r.embodied_carbon,
'suggestion': 'Consider timber alternative where structurally feasible',
'potential_reduction': '60-80%'
})
# Standard concrete -> Low carbon
if r.category == 'concrete' and r.embodied_carbon > 5000:
suggestions.append({
'material': r.material_name,
'current_carbon': r.embodied_carbon,
'suggestion': 'Use low-carbon concrete mix with SCMs',
'potential_reduction': '20-40%'
})
# Virgin aluminum -> Recycled
if r.category == 'aluminum':
suggestions.append({
'material': r.material_name,
'current_carbon': r.embodied_carbon,
'suggestion': 'Specify recycled aluminum content',
'potential_reduction': '70-80%'
})
return suggestions
def export_to_excel(self, output_path: str) -> str:
"""Export carbon calculation to Excel."""
if not self.results:
self.calculate()
report = self.generate_report()
with pd.ExcelWriter(output_path, engine='openpyxl') as writer:
# Summary
summary_df = pd.DataFrame([{
'Project': self.project_name,
'Total kgCO2e': report['total_kgCO2e'],
'Total tCO2e': report['total_tCO2e'],
'Materials': report['material_count']
}])
summary_df.to_excel(writer, sheet_name='Summary', index=False)
# Details
details_df = pd.DataFrame([
{
'Material Code': r.material_code,
'Material': r.material_name,
'Quantity': r.quantity,
'Unit': r.unit,
'EC Factor': r.ec_factor,
'Embodied Carbon (kgCO2e)': r.embodied_carbon,
'Category': r.category
}
for r in self.results
])
details_df.to_excel(writer, sheet_name='Materials', index=False)
# By Category
cat_df = pd.DataFrame([
{'Category': k, 'kgCO2e': v}
for k, v in report['by_category'].items()
])
cat_df.to_excel(writer, sheet_name='By Category', index=False)
# Suggestions
suggestions = self.suggest_reductions()
if suggestions:
sug_df = pd.DataFrame(suggestions)
sug_df.to_excel(writer, sheet_name='Reduction Ideas', index=False)
return output_path
```
## Quick Start
```python
# Initialize calculator
calc = CarbonCalculator("Office Building A")
# Add materials
calc.add_material("concrete_c30", "Foundation Concrete", 500, "m3", MaterialCategory.CONCRETE)
calc.add_material("steel_rebar", "Reinforcement", 50000, "kg", MaterialCategory.STEEL)
calc.add_material("steel_section", "Structural Steel", 200000, "kg", MaterialCategory.STEEL)
calc.add_material("glass_double", "Facade Glazing", 1500, "m2", MaterialCategory.GLASS)
# Calculate
results = calc.calculate()
# Get report
report = calc.generate_report()
print(f"Total: {report['total_tCO2e']} tCO2e")
```
## Common Use Cases
### 1. Compare Alternatives
```python
comparison = calc.compare_alternatives(
"steel_section", 100000,
"timber_glulam", 80000
)
print(f"Savings: {comparison['savings_percent']}%")
```
### 2. Get Suggestions
```python
suggestions = calc.suggest_reductions()
for s in suggestions:
print(f"{s['material']}: {s['suggestion']}")
```
### 3. Category Breakdown
```python
by_category = calc.get_carbon_by_category()
for cat, carbon in by_category.items():
print(f"{cat}: {carbon:,.0f} kgCO2e")
```
## Resources
- **ICE Database**: Inventory of Carbon & Energy
- **DDC Book**: Chapter 5.1 - Sustainability Reporting