This guidance supports the Green Mark Singapore calculation scheme, for which the 'Whole Life Carbon Assessment, GLA / RICS, Green Mark' calculation tool is used.

Whole Life carbon (WLC) assessment guidance is consistent with BS EN 15978 and BS EN 15804 and to be read in conjunction with RICS Professional Statement (PS): Whole Life Carbon assessment for the built environment, with adaptation to the local context.

WLC assessment adopts the framework for appraising the environmental impacts of the built environment provided by BS EN 15978: 2011: (Sustainability of construction works — Assessment of environmental performance of buildings — Calculation method). It sets out the principles and calculation method for whole life assessment of the environmental impacts from built projects based on life-cycle assessment. The RICS PS serves as a guide to the practical implementation of the BS EN 15978 principles, which sets out technical details and calculation requirements, with adaptation to the local context in this document.

Applicable to all new buildings (Non-Residential and Residential) and Existing Buildings with Addition and Alteration (A&A) works involving additional gross floor area (GFA) with new construction, and the addition of floors with independent substructures.

Results shall be reported in the following units: kg CO2 equivalent (kgCO2e), or multiples thereof appropriate, e.g. tCO2e.

The assessment should cover the development’s carbon emissions over its lifetime, accounting for:

Minimum Scope Requirement of WLC Assessment

Building Elements to be included

Life-Cycle Stages to be included

Full Scope Requirements of WLC Assessment

A complete WLC assessment should include, in addition to the minimum scope of WLC assessment, the remaining life cycle stages (including D to be reported separately) and cover all items listed in the project’s bill of quantities (BoQ), or design information identified in drawings, specifications, etc.

Carbon Data Sources

The following are acceptable sources of carbon data for materials and products, in order of preference:

Carbon data for modules [A1–A3], [B1], [B2], [B3], [C1],[C3], [C4] and [D] should be retrieved from the allowable carbon data sources specified and used in line with the project-specific scenarios developed at building level.

Carbon figures for the remaining life stages [A4], [A5], [B4– B7], [C2] should be calculated on a project-specific basis, considering the project location, likely procurement routes, anticipated operation and maintenance schedules and EoL scenarios. Where EPD data is used for these modules, the carbon values should be adjusted accordingly to fit the project-specific scenarios.

Create a building project and select the "Whole life cycle carbon assessment, GLA / RICS / Green Mark" tool as the chosen calculation tool.

Create your design and set the parameters specified below:

Transport carbon emissions can be calculated using the BCA Carbon Calculator or One Click LCA

Singapore Electricity Profile - IEA 2019 (or latest available)

Market scenarios (This provides the required C1-C4 breakdown) For the purpose of the WLC assessment, this EoL stage is assumed to occur at the end of the reference study period (RSP). EoL stage is considered complete within the WLC assessment scope when the site is levelled to the ground and is ready for further use.

The assessment should cover all building components and works relating to the proposed building and its intended use, including its foundations, and external works within the site. The site boundary shall be clearly demarcated in the building plan.

For WLC assessment, material/product quantities shall be taken from materials delivery orders, BIM model, BoQ/Cost plan or estimation from architectural plans.

Fill in your project material quantities in One Click LCA by entering the design either manually or by importing your data: Updated Import Process in One Click LCA

Transport emissions must include all stages of the journey of the products following their departure from the final manufacturing plant to the project site, taking into account any interim stops at storage depots and/or distribution centres.

These can be adjusted in the building materials query for specific rows of material, including the distance travelled and the transportation method.

The construction/installation process emissions arising from any on- or off-site construction-related activities must be included. This includes any energy consumption for site accommodation, plant use and the impacts associated with any waste generated through the construction process, its treatment and disposal.

To account for emissions released from building elements arising from the normal conditions of use, and the impact of potential carbon absorption is to be included. For example, emissions arising from refrigerants, insulation blowing agents, paints, etc., over the life cycle of the building.

To account for emissions arising from the following building element categories:

Additional items should be included as appropriate if specific information on their maintenance is provided. Emissions arising from activities relating to maintenance processes for the functional and technical performance of the building façade and building integrated technical systems, including cleaning, and products used, are to be included.

Minimum WLC Assessment scope on [B2] – Emissions from Façade maintenance are to be included. The façade maintenance should minimally cover the cleaning and painting of the building. While the cleaning cycle may vary depending on many factors, where there is no specific qualifying data for items, the following assumptions may be utilized.

Include emissions from energy use of building integrated systems as projected and/ or measured throughout the lifecycle of the project.

The carbon emissions from non-building related systems, e.g. ICT equipment, cooking appliances, specialist equipment, etc., should be included.

All energy-generating units (renewable and non-renewable sources) located within the building site, regardless of whether they have other functions such as protecting against rain and wind penetration to the roof or façade, must be included in the assessment.

Photovoltaic panels installed in the garden of the site, which do not form part of the building envelope but deliver energy for use in the building or as exported energy, should be included in the assessment.

Include all building-integrated water-consuming processes of a building under operation, such as processes for drinking water, domestic hot water, irrigation of associated landscape areas, green roofs and green walls, water for heating, cooling, ventilation, and humidification, and other specific water use of building-integrated systems.

Fountains, swimming pools, and saunas are excluded from the WLC assessment. Energy use associated with providing domestic hot water and other water-use-related systems is included in the module

The assessment is carried out based on the building life cycle within the reference study period (RSP). The default value of the reference study period shall be the required service life of the building.

Residential Building -> 50 years

Non-Residential Building -> 50 years

For WLC assessment, floor areas shall be taken from the BIM model, BoQ or cost plan, or architectural plans. The unit of measurement for floor area should be Gross Floor Area (GFA) to represent the entirety of the built asset.

Navigate to the results page and click on 'Download Results Summary' to download an Excel report for easier copying into the Green Mark template.

While on the results page, click on 'More actions' to download the detailed report. The results report has mass data on each of the categories as well, which will be required for the Green Mark template.

The embodied carbon reference values of different building typologies based on life cycle modules [A1] to [A4] for superstructure only in are adopted as baselines in the computation of embodied carbon reduction for Concrete, Glass and Steel for the development.