First Embodied Carbon Calculator for Steel Framing Launched

by hanna_kowal | December 29, 2025 9:37 am

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A new digital tool allows AED (architecture, engineering, and design) professionals to quickly estimate the embodied carbon of structural steel-framed walls.

The Embodied Carbon Calculator (ECC), available for free on cold-formed steel framing and accessories manufacturer ClarkDietrich’s website, helps industry professionals understand the carbon impact of their steel framing choices and evaluate options such as standard versus low embodied carbon (LEC) steel to support lower-impact building designs.

“With this calculator, it’s now easier and more accessible than ever for sustainability-focused teams to quickly evaluate those reduction goals against the types of framing available (LEC vs. standard), and make purchasing decisions based on third-party certified EPD data,” says Adam Shoemaker, business development director for ClarkDietrich.

Users enter wall dimensions and framing details (stud spacing, size, bracing, track, and more) to calculate total steel weight, and the calculator instantly converts the weight into embodied carbon global warming potential (GWP) and shows the embodied carbon reductions between standard framing and LEC framing, measured in kilograms CO2e per metric ton of steel and in percent savings.

The tool also provides comparative facts to help contextualize the carbon savings. For instance, 100,000 kg of CO2e is the equivalent of over 41639.5 L (11,000 gal) of gasoline used. These equivalency statistics, leveraging data from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (US EPA), help architects and building owners share the impact of their green building solutions in a way that relates to everyday life.

Source URL: https://www.metalarchitecture.com/news/industry-news/embodied-carbon-calculator-for-steel-framing/

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