CarbonSpace by MVRDV | Early Stage Embodied Carbon Estimation

MVRDV has come up with a tool called CarbonSpace which is now available online and it predicts the embodied carbon for a project even at the very early stages of design. The firm had made the tool free as an incentive for designers to consider carbon from the very beginning which is the main motive of the tool. The process is meant to clear the road of premature decisions and be a source of encouragement for the professionals to exchange information without restrictions. Refer to ArchUp building material for related discussions on material.

Purpose and approach

CarbonSpace is designed to operate during the napkin sketch phase. While most carbon calculators rely on detailed models and exact data, this tool works with simple inputs. Users provide basic dimensions like floor area, facade area, and foundation volume. After that, the tool gives a quick estimate of embodied carbon allowing designers to evaluate different options early in the workflow. This reinforces the design thinking of early iterations and rapid feedback.

Database and components

The application connects the inputs of the user to a carbon data base which is modelled after a simplified version of the open-source sustainable construction data base. Furthermore, it comes with preset libraries of frequent components and typical build-ups that will help to quicken the process of estimating. The presets are intended to give trustworthy results without asking for perfect data as a prerequisite. For further research methods, see ArchUp research.

Integration and workflow

CarbonSpace provides a public application programming interface that enables it to interconnect with widely used design software and data tools. The API can be attached to modelling platforms and to data visualisation tools. This allows the teams to transfer from a quick sketch to integrated project tracking without going through the repetitive process of manual entry. In addition, the tool could supply anonymised dashboards which would allow the teams to measure their progress against both their peers and internal goals.

Table: Key features

Feature	What it does	Benefit for designers
Quick estimations	Uses floor area facade area and foundation volume	Enables decisions before detailed modelling
Preset libraries	Common materials and component build ups	Reduces guesswork and speeds comparison
Open API	Connects to modelling and visualisation tools	Supports iterative workflows and reporting
Anonymised dashboard	Optional shared benchmarking	Encourages transparency and friendly competition

How it changes practice

The tool through providing designers a straightforward method to evaluate embodied carbon, directs attention to the choices made in the early stages. When carbon is noticed during the sketching phase, it is treated as a design variable along with cost and program. It is possible for the teams to compare mass timber with concrete or alternative façade strategies long before the actual procurement takes place. This method contributes to the development of resilient designs and allows for more significant cuts in emissions.

Limitations and future potential

The estimates are necessarily rough by their nature. The priority is speed and a running feedback loop, not the final level calculations of certification. However, as the projects advance, the teams will still demand thorough life cycle assessments and exact data. The actual chance exists in the amalgamation of swift preliminary estimates with subsequent accurate scrutiny. Gradually the tool and its database can be shared for use, which will lead to enhanced precision and industry learning.

✦ ArchUp Editorial Insight

MVRDV’s CarbonSpace tool proposes a user friendly way to estimate embodied carbon during the early design stages. The program allows only simple inputs and doesn’t need detailed models or finalized data. These quick estimations enable designers to make decisions regarding material selection and impact on the environment priopr to complex modeling. The preset libraries of components and linked database of carbon promote the making of choices based on facts and create a collaborative atmosphere through open data exchange and transparent benchmarking.

From a critical viewpoint, CarbonSpace marks a major transformation in the integration of sustainability within the design process. It treating carbon as an early design parameter instead of a post-analysis outcome, it encourages iterative thinking and also responsibility. Its calculations are purposefully rough but the quickness of feedback allows environmental consideration to be a creative driver rather than an afterthought.

Essentially, CarbonSpace is an environmental awareness that has been turned into a base tool for responsible architectural innovation to be progressively developed.

Conclusion

CarbonSpace reduces the difficulty for designers to be carbon conscious. It gives architects the chance to quickly test different options and at the same time, learn from their initial choices. The instrument encourages a common terminology for carbon and at the same time, it enables teamwork between the different departments. If you want to know more about how materials and construction choices impact architecture, take a look at ArchUp construction and examples in ArchUp projects.

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