Supplementary information

Table S1: Material inventory of the case study, modeled with One Click LCA database

See file: Supplementary information – Table S1.xlsx

Table S2: Project emissions broken down by building components and phases of the life cycle. Results are not accurate to more
than two significant figures, but more are shown here where necessary for clarity.

Emissions (tCO2e)
A1-A3 A4 A5 B4-B5 C3-C4 Total
Foundation, sub-surface 68.3 1.2 3.0 0.0 7.3 79.8
Concrete 67.0 1.2 3.0 0.0 7.3 78.4
Steel 1.3 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 1.4
Vertical structures 281.4 4.0 7.4 53.5 4.9 351.1
External walls and facade 0.1 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.3 0.5
Columns and load-bearing vertical 179.8 0.3 2.9 1.8 0.9 185.7
structures
Internal walls and non-bearing 53.8 0.6 2.6 0.0 2.7 59.6
structures
Windows and doors 47.6 3.2 1.8 51.7 0.9 105.3
Horizontal structures 309.5 9.2 16.8 1.8 42.5 379.7
Main floor - concrete 238.1 8.6 11.0 0.0 26.8 284.6
Main floor - steel 12.2 0.1 0.4 0.0 0.1 12.8
Main floor - plastic 12.4 0.0 1.9 0.0 13.1 27.5
Other floors 5.1 0.4 1.0 0.1 2.1 8.7
Roof 41.6 0.0 2.4 1.7 0.3 46.0
Finishings and coverings 15.3 0.1 0.4 15.3 0.3 31.4
Washrooms, classrooms 15.3 0.1 0.4 15.3 0.3 31.4
Building systems and installations1 187.2 4.6 11.8 182.8 1.4 387.8
Geothermal system 110.9 3.8 11.1 107.8 1.3 234.9
Solar panels 76.3 0.8 0.7 75.1 0.0 152.9
Additional transport and energy 0.0 0.3 20.5 0.0 0.0 20.8
Additional transport 0.0 0.3 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.3
Site heating 0.0 0.0 20.5 0.0 0.0 20.5
Total 861.6 19.3 59.9 253.4 56.3 1250.7
1
Not including ceiling-hung infrared heating tubes, installed after the assessment was completed and HVAC
control boards, due to insignificance.

1
Table S3: Effects of variations in selected inputs on life cycle embodied carbon. For each input, its lower and upper estimates are
compared with the baseline best estimate.

Estimate Unit Value Effect on

embodied
carbon
Distance Serviceable lifetime

Building Lower 30 -23% 1

Baseline years 60 --
Scenario uncertainty

Upper 90 +22% 2
Solar panels Lower 15 +12%
Baseline years 30 --
Upper 45 -6%
Material Local ≤100 -1%
sourcing
Baseline km 6 to 7000 --
Non-local ≥300 +19%
Solar panels Baseline Flat solar collector, --
Germany
(106 kgCO2/m2)

Variation Solar thermal collector, +3%

France 3 (131 kgCO2/m2)
Modeling uncertainty

Datapoint mapping

Foamcrete Baseline Oklahoma plant average, --

concrete mix USA 4
(159 kgCO2/m3)

Variation North America industry- +2%

wide 5 (233 kgCO2/m3)
Cupolex Baseline Façade cladding, Canada 6 --
(2.6 kgCO2/m2)

Variation Polypropylene siding, +16%

North America 7
(89 kgCO2/m2)
Recycled content Lower 60 +15%
Material specs

in steel Baseline % 90 --
Upper 100 -1%
SCM content in Lower 0 +4%
Data uncertainty

concrete Baseline % 30 --
Upper 50 -2%
Future materials Lower -20% -6%
Input quantities

Upper +20% +6%

On-site Lower 31.8 -0.2%
construction Baseline tCO2e 33.8 --
energy Upper 39.6 +0.5%

2
1
+53% in terms of annual life cycle embodied carbon (tCO 2e/y).
2
-19% in terms of annual life cycle embodied carbon (tCO 2e/y).
3
Default environmental value by the French Ministry of the Environment.
4
Closest match for concrete strength: 300 psi.
5
Closest match for SCM content: 0-2500 psi, 30% slag.
6
Best match for recycled content: 90-98% recycled polypropylene.
7
Best match for manufacturing process: injection molding.

3
Table S4: Data sources used for quantifying construction work energy consumption

Frey, H. C., Rasdorf, W., Lewis, P. (2010) Comprehensive field study of fuel use and emissions of
nonroad diesel construction equipment. Transportation Research Record (2158) 69–76.
https://doi.org/10.3141/2158-09

Lewis, M. P. (2009) Estimating Fuel Use and Emission Rates of Nonroad Diesel Construction
Equipment Performing Representative Duty Cycles. PhD Thesis, North Carolina State University.
https://repository.lib.ncsu.edu/bitstream/handle/1840.16/5008/etd.pdf?sequence=1

Mohit, S., Ahmadian, M., Monfared, N., Kang, C., Bayat, A. (2017) Comparative Study of Greenhouse
Gas Emissions from Hand Tunneling and Pilot Tube Method Underground Construction Methods.
Journal of Green Building 12(4) 54–69. https://doi.org/10.3992/1943-4618.12.4.54

Caterpillar Performance Handbook, Edition 47 (2017).

https://wheelercat.com/company/resources/cat-performance-handbook/ Accessed August 10, 2018.

Komatsu Specifications & Application Handbook (2013).

Natural Resources Canada (2018) Fuel Consumption Guide.

https://www.nrcan.gc.ca/sites/www.nrcan.gc.ca/files/oee/pdf/transportation/tools/fuelratings/2018
Fuel Consumption Guide.pdf Accessed July 9, 2020.

https://www.atlascopco.com/en-ca/construction-equipment Accessed July 9, 2020.

https://www.bobcat.com/loaders Accessed July 9, 2020.

https://drillingsupply.info Accessed July 9, 2020.

http://www.hammerdrillingrigs.com Accessed July 9, 2020.

https://www.jlg.com/en/equipment Accessed July 9, 2020.

https://kubota.ca/en/products/power-equipment Accessed August 10, 2018.

https://www.volvoce.com/europe/en/products/excavators Accessed July 9, 2020.

4
 5

Distance travelled to site

√

Number of vehicles
√

Delivery method
√

Approximate duration of use

√
Table S5: Summary of tracking sheet fields used by construction site staff for logging materials, equipment, and deliveries.

Fuel type
√
√

Power source
√

Contact info.
√

Company
√

Description
√
√
√
√

Quantity
√
√
√

Finish time
√

Start time
√

Truck out time

√

Truck in time
√
√

Batch time
√

Mix design
Ticket number √
√
√
Location placed

√
Date

√
√
√
√
√
Powered equipment
Other materials
Type of sheet

Aggregates

Deliveries
Concrete
 Table S6: Proposed format and data input examples for delivery log (a) and equipment use log (b)
a.
Supplier Date Delivery Load Fuel Fuel use Distance Destination Category Material/equipment Make Qty Units Package
method (t) type (km/l) travelled size
(km)
Al’s 6/3/17 A2 Truck 4 Diesel 5 55 Materials 8” concrete block Acton 100 Pcs
Hardware
5/8” PEX tubing Vivo 3000 Feet
Main hall Type S mortar King 10 Bags 10 kg
washroom
2” copper pipe Mueller 10 Pcs 2m
Equipment Vinyl tarps Tarps 10 Pcs 40’x40’
Now
Mixing Max 6/3/17 Concrete 10 Diesel 7 27 Floor Materials Ready-mix concrete Dufferin 8 m3
mixing C2, 0.45 W/C, 32
truck MPa, 20mm
Power Tools 6/3/17 Flatbed 2 Diesel 5 50 Floor base Equipment Bobcat E32 Bobcat 1 Pcs
truck layer

b.
Supplier Date Equip. Equip. Make Fuel type + Energy Total Start End Net Type of
type model year engine power source fuel used time time operation work
time (h)
Al’s 10/3/17 9” grinder Makita 9060 2014 Electricity Grid 9:00 11:00 1 Handrail
Hardware 2.3kW installation

Al’s 10/3/17 Quick cut Hilti DSH700 2017 Mixed gas On-site 4L 10:00 16:00 3 Piping
Hardware tank

All Electric 10/3/17 Scissor lift SJ3226 2015 Battery 24V DC, N/A 2 full 12:00 16:00 0.5 Wiring
250Ah charges