Embodied Carbon: Developing a Client Brief

The UK Green Building Council developed Embodied Carbon: Developing a Client Brief to support clients in taking first steps in their critical role in reducing embodied carbon. “We know that clients will play a critical role in this work as what clients ask for, the supply chain works to deliver. UK-GBC also understands that embodied carbon is an area that many clients are just beginning to address.” Development of the guide was led by a team at the UK-GBC, supported by a specialist working group.

The guide is designed to support clients (e.g. building owners and developers) who need to write briefs for commissioning their first embodied carbon assessments on building and are at an early stage of embodied carbon knowledge. The goal of the guide is to provide straightforward information on how to develop a brief and ‘get the job done’, providing only essential guidance on the what and how of embodied carbon. Resources include example wording, an example brief, and what to do with the outputs of the assessment.