Embodied Carbon meaning

What is embodied carbon and why is it important? There is no single, settled definition of ‘embodied carbon’ in planning legislation or policy. In general, it refers to the greenhouse gas emissions tied to constructing a building—and, depending on the assessment’s scope, dismantling it at end of life—as opposed to the ‘operational carbon’ arising from the building’s use. Together, embodied and operational carbon contribute to a building’s whole‑life carbon emissions. Although progress is still required, the real estate industry has made notable advances in cutting operational carbon, from energy‑efficient lighting to on‑site solar PV, which means embodied carbon is becoming relatively more significant. While embodied carbon has not historically received the same attention as operational carbon, there is now broad recognition that it must be rigorously measured and assessed if the built environment is to support the government’s legally binding objective of reaching net zero by 2050, as enshrined in the Climate Change Act 2008. How is embodied carbon assessed in the planning system? It is, perhaps,...

In this issue: Autumn Budget 2025 Building safety Procurement in construction Contract law for construction lawyers Environmental issues Infrastructure projects Litigation Experts in construction disputes Construction industry news Daily and weekly news alerts New and updated content Construction trackers Autumn Budget 2025 Budget 2025—key Construction announcements In the Autumn Budget 2025, presented on 26 November 2025, the Chancellor of the Exchequer, the Rt Hon Rachel Reeves MP, unveiled an investment programme focused on ‘rebuilding Britain’ by delivering new housing, upgrading infrastructure and expanding clean energy. The Budget underlined the government’s objectives on boosting housing supply, overhauling planning, accelerating economic growth and driving regional regeneration. See: LNB News 26/11/2025 56. Pick Everard publishes report on construction sector outlook for 2026 Pick Everard has released its Pre-Autumn Budget Construction Market Insight report, sharing detailed results from a survey of 200 industry figures that assessed confidence and forecasts for 2026 across the...

In this issue: Air emissions and climate change Brexit Energy efficiency and buildings Environmental enforcement and prosecutions Environmental information ESG and sustainability Hazardous substances and chemicals Marine Nature, biodiversity and habitat conservation Waste Daily and weekly news alerts New and updated content Latest Q&A Air emissions and climate change Energy Security Secretary outlines net zero commitments to EAC The Energy Security and Net Zero Secretary set out a series of clear, priority pledges to the Environmental Audit Committee (EAC), in support of delivering net zero objectives. These pledges include requiring any airport growth to comply with the Climate Change Act (CCA 2008) and align with Carbon Budgets, giving the EAC a central role in examining the Seventh Carbon Budget, and obliging ministers to table yearly parliamentary statements on the government’s assessment of the state of climate and nature. The government also promised to lay secondary legislation to bring the UK’s...

What is the UK CBAM? The UK CBAM is a forthcoming charge, scheduled by the UK government for implementation on 1 January 2027, applied to the carbon both released and embedded in imports into the UK of specified ‘products’ (set out by a list of commodity codes) whose production is highly carbon‑emission intensive. In this context, ‘products’ are goods, articles or substances manufactured or refined for sale. Products can be raw materials, energy (such as electricity or heat), component parts, or finished goods. Certain products brought into the UK from countries with a lower, or no, ‘carbon price’ will be required to pay the charge. The liability imposed by the UK CBAM will depend on the greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions intensity embodied in the imported products and the gap between the carbon price applied in the country of origin (if any) and the carbon price that would have been applied had the products been produced in the UK. Embodied emissions are the GHG emissions linked to the manufacture of...

Robust spatial planning plays a key role in tackling climate change, as it can affect the release of greenhouse gases. Local planning authorities (LPAs), along with other planning decision-makers, should make sure that safeguarding the local and wider environment is fully taken into account. Good planning can build resilience to climate change impacts through careful choices on the siting, mix, and design of development...

Climate change and sustainability are now central issues for the property sector The built environment accounts for a significant share of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, and clients—developers, investors, real estate investment trusts (REITs), pension funds, funders and asset managers—are facing rising regulatory demands and sharper market scrutiny. UK and EU regimes require compulsory disclosures on GHG emissions, energy performance and broader environmental, social and governance (ESG) considerations. Alongside this, a swell of voluntary frameworks and benchmarks have produced an ‘alphabet soup’ of standards that investors, occupiers and lenders are increasingly insisting upon. At the same time, eligibility for sustainable or green finance is tied to demonstrable sustainability outcomes. This Practice Note outlines the principal implications of climate change, net zero and sustainability, together with the mandatory and voluntary reporting landscapes, with a particular emphasis on those applicable to property in England and Wales. It provides a high-level briefing for property lawyers, intended to equip them with an understanding of these matters so they can support clients’ goals in...