Embodied vs Operational Carbon

When we talk about net zero in the built environment, two terms come up repeatedly: embodied carbon and operational carbon. They are often discussed separately but in reality; they are deeply connected.

Increasingly, UK and Scottish policy and standards now require that they are considered together, through a whole-life carbon lens.

Embodied carbon refers to the emissions associated with a building before it is occupied: the extraction of raw materials, manufacturing, transport, construction, maintenance, and ultimately demolition or reuse. In other words, it is largely “locked in” once design and procurement decisions are made.

Operational carbon, by contrast, comes from the energy a building uses over its lifetime, for heating, cooling, lighting, equipment, and ventilation. This is influenced by how efficiently a building is designed, how it is operated, and how the energy grid decarbonises over time.

Historically, the industry focused almost exclusively on operational carbon. That made sense when buildings were energy intensive and grids were highly carbonised. But as energy efficiency improves and electricity becomes cleaner, embodied carbon now represents a much larger proportion of a building’s total impact, particularly in highly efficient new developments.

This shift is now reflected in policy and standards.

The UK Net Zero Carbon Buildings Standard, launching in 2026, explicitly requires projects to address both operational and embodied carbon, with whole-life carbon assessment aligned to EN 15978 and RICS Professional Statements. Similarly, planning policy across the UK increasingly mandates whole-life carbon reporting, including the Greater London Authority (GLA) requirements and emerging local authority policies nationwide.

In Scotland, this approach is already embedded. Scottish Planning Policy, National Planning Framework 4 (NPF4), and guidance from Scottish Futures Trust require a whole-life perspective, with embodied carbon assessment expected for major developments and public sector projects. The direction of travel is clear: carbon must be addressed across the entire life of a building, not just in operation.

This has important implications for design.

Reducing operational carbon alone is no longer enough. Highly serviced buildings with complex systems can lower energy use but may significantly increase embodied carbon through materials and equipment. Equally, simple, robust design choices, such as reuse of existing structures, efficient forms, and low-carbon materials can deliver immediate carbon savings that cannot be “offset” later.

The key is balance.

Designing for net zero means considering whole-life carbon from the outset: setting clear carbon targets, understanding trade-offs early, and making informed decisions across structure, façade, services, and operation. It also means recognising that the lowest carbon solution is often one that does less, rather than one that adds more technology.

As we move into 2026, embodied and operational carbon can no longer be addressed in isolation. The projects that succeed will be those that integrate both, using carbon as a design driver, not just a reporting metric.

Atelier Ten can provide whole-life carbon assessments, embodied and operational carbon modelling, and strategic design advice to support projects in meeting the UK Net Zero Carbon Buildings Standard and emerging UK and Scottish policy requirements.

If you would like to discuss further, please contact our Environmental Divisional Director, Sarah Peterson – sarah.peterson@atelierten.com or our Embodied Carbon Assessor, Sam Patterson – sam.patterson@atelierten.com