Quantifying the carbon footprint of coastal construction – a new tool HRCAT

UK and European regulation aimed at achieving a low carbon society is currently not being sufficiently backed up by tools for the quantification of construction-related carbon emissions. Recent UK Government findings have highlighted that the amount of carbon emitted by construction and maintenance of infrastructure is largely unknown and that consistent carbon accounting is needed (BIS, 2010). It is expected that carbon accounting will become a standard requirement for engineering option appraisal and for any investment justification (be it project specific or at a national scale). Coastal schemes are no exception. Existing tools such as the Environment Agency Carbon Calculator are useful for the UK river and coastal protection market but currently lack the breadth of data and functionality required for the wider range of coastal construction works and for overseas schemes.
This paper explains the process of development of a new carbon accounting tool suitable for coastal construction schemes, illustrating its application on a real breakwater option appraisal.