Regulations requiring the disclosure of Global Warming Potential (GWP) across the full life cycle (also known as Whole life Carbon) on the BER in Ireland are expected to come into place on 1st January 2027 less than 3 years away a year ahead of the EPBD requirement. IGBC has worked with the University of Galway, Construct Innovate and SEAI to develop the national methodology for GWP disclosure aligned with requirements of the EPBD, Level(s) and EN 15978 with national defaults and national data. This methodology will now likely form the basis of the regulation as set out in the Climate Action Plan.
In Ireland, there has been a rapid increase in the private sector in quantifying whole life carbon (GWP) over the past two years. However, without a national methodology or centralised national database, WLC measurements are not currently comparable. Some are using different methodologies, different time frames, using inconsistent data, measuring a different scope, often cherry-picking inappropriate data and are not aligned with the European wide Level(s) framework. From our experience of quality assuring these LCAs many are not complete and miss key data. This means that none of the current LCAs generated in Ireland eg for LEED or BREEAM can be used for creating national baselines. This is why consultants and practitioners now need to work with a single national methodology with specified national defaults that delivers consistent comparable results.
INDICATE is a collaboration between Construct Innovate, SEAI, Department of Housing and international experts to create a national database of projects all created to a single national methodology, using a fully transparent tool that allows full rigorous quality checking of completeness and data. It is based on the process that helped create the Danish regulations, first developing a reliable database of projects and creating a solid foundation for baselines. It allows for future changes to product databases.
We have started with the support of many of our members and created an initial database of 20 buildings of different typologies, houses, apartments, student accommodation, warehouses, hotels, office buildings but we need 50 in the next 3 months. These are baseline projects and do not need to be exemplary projects.
Don’t miss your chance to contribute to the national baselines and benchmarks by providing a whole-life carbon assessment of your project and feedback on WLC Methodology.
Those participating have found the process extremely useful as it has provided a peer review of their process. They have also realised that they need to modify the work process to ensure data is reliably compiled from bills of quantities enabling them to be ready for the upcoming regulations.
We are currently working with software providers to integrate the methodology into their systems for ease of use however in the meantime it does require using our spreadsheet.
The IGBC, through the INDICATE initiative, is working to enable an acceleration in the integration of Whole Life GWP/Carbon (WLC) into regulation, public procurement, and industry.
Become an INDICATE Champion for WLC quality data! Contact Stephen Barrett to get access to the methodology and demonstrate your leadership with the INDICATE badge!
Find out more about INDICATE here.
