Your Complete Guide to Construction Stage Emissions
If you’re new to the world of sustainability and construction, you might be wondering what A1-5 carbon emissions are and why they matter. Simply put, carbon emissions are produced at every point in a building’s lifecycle, and to be transparent about these emissions, they’ve been organized into different phases. Think of it like tracking expenses in different categories to see exactly where your money goes.
Breaking Down Carbon Phases
A1-5 carbon emissions fall under what’s called the “A phase,” which covers everything from getting raw materials to completing construction. Here’s how all carbon phases work:
- A phase: Product and Construction
- B phase: Building Use and Operations
- C phase: End of Life
- D phase: Beyond the Building Life Cycle
This blog focuses specifically on A1-5 emissions and construction stage emissions, which are the carbon footprint created before a building even opens its doors.
Why A1-5 Emissions Matter for General Contractors
A1-5 carbon emissions are especially important for general contractors to understand because they’re the ones who need to track these emissions on projects. Since general contractors oversee all onsite activities, they’re uniquely positioned to gather the data needed for accurate construction stage emissions reporting.
The construction industry is facing increasing pressure from both policymakers and private clients to track and reduce carbon emissions. Some states now require carbon reporting on public projects, and many private developers are including A1-5 carbon emissions reduction goals in their contracts.
The Five Types of A1-5 Emissions Explained
A1 Emissions: Raw Material Supply- A1 emissions relate to the carbon released when raw materials are extracted, mined, or harvested. For example, if you’re using a standard 2×4 piece of lumber, the A1 emissions include the carbon from the heavy machinery used to cut down trees in the forest. For complex products like concrete, this covers the extraction of every single raw material used in the final product.
A2 Emissions: Transportation to Manufacturing- Once raw materials are gathered, they need to get to the manufacturing facility. A2 emissions cover the carbon footprint from trucks and other vehicles transporting these materials to a manufacturing facility. Using our lumber example, A2 emissions would include the trucks hauling cut trees from the forest to the mill.
A3 Emissions: Manufacturing- A3 emissions are produced at the manufacturing facility where raw materials become finished building products. For our 2×4 example, this includes all the energy used to power the mill and run the machinery that cuts wood into the desired size. This is often the largest component of A1-5 carbon emissions for most materials.
A4 Emissions: Transportation to Construction Site- A4 emissions cover getting the finished product from the factory to your construction site. The further away you source materials, the higher your A4 emissions will be. This is why many contractors are looking at local sourcing as a way to reduce their overall construction stage emissions.
A5 Emissions: Construction and Installation- The final piece of A1-5 carbon emissions is A5 emissions – the carbon footprint from actually installing materials on your project. This includes electricity to run power tools, gasoline and diesel for onsite vehicles and heavy machinery, and even the energy used for temporary site offices.
Understanding the A1-5 Emissions Divide
You’ll notice that A1-5 emissions naturally split into two main categories:
Product Stage Emissions (A1, A2, A3)
A1 emissions, A2 emissions, and A3 emissions together make up what’s called “embodied carbon”, or the carbon footprint built into a material before it even reaches your site.
Manufacturers are responsible for calculating and verifying their A1 emissions, A2 emissions, and A3 emissions through third-party reviews. This information comes from Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs). General contractors then use EPDs to understand the emissions for each material unit and multiply by the quantity used on their specific project.
Construction Stage Emissions (A4, A5)
A4 emissions and A5 emissions are where general contractors have the most control and variability.
For A4 emissions, you’ll need to track:
- Types of vehicles used
- Total distances materials traveled
For A5 emissions, accurate tracking means:
- Monitoring utility bills for temporary power
- Collecting fuel tickets for all on-site equipment
Products sourced closer to your project site will naturally have lower A4 emissions, making local sourcing an effective strategy for reducing your overall A1-5 carbon emissions.
The Growing Importance of Construction Stage Emissions
Construction stage emissions are becoming increasingly important as the building industry works toward net-zero goals. While operational emissions (from running a building) have decreased significantly because of renewable energy and efficiency improvements, A1-5 carbon emissions now represent a larger percentage of a building’s total lifecycle impact.
Research indicates that construction stage emissions can account for 55% or more of a building’s total emissions in many markets. This means that focusing on A1-5 emissions reduction isn’t just good for the environment; it’s becoming essential for competitive construction businesses.
Tracking A1-5 Carbon Emissions: The Smart Way
Instead of manually hunting down EPDs, building complicated spreadsheets, and tracking every fuel receipt, smart contractors are turning to software solutions. These platforms can automatically calculate A1-5 carbon emissions, categorize different emission types, and generate the reports clients increasingly require.
Modern carbon tracking software can help you:
- Import embodied carbon data directly from industry databases
- Automatically categorize emissions into the correct A1-5 phases
- Track construction stage emissions in real-time
- Generate professional reports for clients and stakeholders
- Benchmark your performance against industry standards
The goal is to make A1-5 carbon emissions tracking as straightforward as possible, so you can focus on what you do best – building great projects on time and on budget.
Ready to simplify your carbon tracking process? [Click here to see how Green Badger makes A1-5 carbon emissions tracking effortless with a personalized demo](https://getgreenbadger.com/construction-esg-demo/).
Getting Started with A1-5 Emissions
Understanding A1-5 carbon emissions might seem complex at first, but breaking it down into these five clear categories makes it manageable.
As more projects require construction stage emissions reporting, contractors who get ahead of this trend will have a significant competitive advantage. The construction industry is evolving, and A1-5 carbon emissions tracking is quickly becoming as standard as safety reporting or quality control.
By understanding and tracking A1-5 carbon emissions, construction professionals can contribute to a more sustainable built environment while meeting the growing demands of environmentally conscious clients and regulations.
