> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://docs.cscale.io/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://docs.cscale.io/the-c.scale-tm-data-model/reference-data.md). # Reference Data ### Background LCIA Data #### Building Material Emissions C.Scale’s material database has been built from a collection of current North American Industry-Average EPDs. When no Industry-Average EPD is available, a generic material is developed based on either representative product EPDs or a published LCA dataset. C.Scale uses the following data sources for EPDs and LCIA data: * Building Transparency. EC3 (Embodied Carbon in Construction Calculator). [buildingtransparency.org](https://www.buildingtransparency.org/ec3-resources) * Ökobaudat (German Federal Ministry generic LCA database). [oekobaudat.de/en.html](https://www.oekobaudat.de/en.html) * National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL). (2025). US Life Cycle Inventory (USLCI) Database. Version 1.2025-06.0. * National Energy Technology Laboratory (NETL). (2026) U.S. Electricity Baseline. Version 1.2026-6.0. * NIST. (2026) Construction Materials Database. Version 1.2026-07.0. * Swiss Federal Office of the Environment. (2025). Database of the Swiss Federal Administration, BAFU:2025. * Circular Ecology. (2024) ICE Database (Inventory of Carbon and Energy). [circularecology.com/embodied-carbon-footprint-database.html](https://circularecology.com/embodied-carbon-footprint-database.html) * Flux / Healthy Building Network / thinkstep / Google (2019). Quartz Database. * Carbon Conscience. [carbon-conscience.web.app](https://carbon-conscience.web.app/) (hardscape carbon intensities) * de Wild-Scholten, M. (2013). Energy payback time and carbon footprint of commercial photovoltaic systems. Solar Energy Materials and Solar Cells. [doi.org/10.1016/j.solmat.2013.08.037](https://doi.org/10.1016/j.solmat.2013.08.037) #### Transportation Emissions * Federal LCA Commons. (2025). US Life Cycle Inventory (USLCI). Transportation process datasets, June 2025 (version 1.2025-06.0). * US Census Bureau. (2017). 2017 US Commodity Flow Survey Tables. * ASHRAE/ICC. Standard 240P (Public Review draft, 2025), Table 6.5.2.1 — default per-mode transport emission factors #### End-of-Life Emissions End-of-Life values (C3/C4) from regionally appropriate industry-average EPDs are used in calculations when available and in accordance with a valid Product Category Rule (PCR). When not available emission factors have been sourced from the following datasets: * US Environmental Protection Agency. (2025). US Environmental Protection Agency/Construction and Demolition Debris (CDD) Management Dataset. * National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL). (2025). US Life Cycle Inventory (USLCI) Database. Version 1.2025-06.0. * Niblick, B., D. Hage, S. Cashman, J. Smith, P. Jain, A. Edelen, T. Townsend, and W. Ingwersen. (2021) “Life Cycle Inventories of End-of-Life Pathways of Construction and Demolition Materials.” U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Washington, DC, EPA/600/R-21/162, 2021. * Swiss Federal Office of the Environment. (2025). Database of the Swiss Federal Administration, BAFU:2025. #### Operational / Electricity Emissions * NREL. (2025) Cambium 2024 Dataset. . * C.Scale internal extrapolation algorithm used to project scenarios outbound from (2051–2110). * Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC). (2026). Electricity Canada Provinces/Territories 2026 EN Annex 7 tables. [data-donnees.ec.gc.ca](https://data-donnees.ec.gc.ca/data/substances/monitor/canada-s-official-greenhouse-gas-inventory/C-Tables-Electricity-Canada-Provinces-Territories/?lang=en) * European Environment Agency (EEA). (2026) Greenhouse gas emission intensity of electricity generation. [eea.europa.eu](https://www.eea.europa.eu/en/analysis/indicators/greenhouse-gas-emission-intensity-of-1) * UK Department for Energy Security and Net Zero. (2024) Greenhouse gas reporting: conversion factors 2023. #### Refrigerants & Non-CO2 Characterization * CIBSE. (2021). TM65: An internationally-applicable methodology for the calculation of embodied carbon in building services engineering. [cibse.org](https://www.cibse.org/knowledge-research/knowledge-resources/engineering-guidance/cibse-technical-memoranda-tm/tm65-an-internationally-applicable-methodology-for-the-calculation-of-embodied-carbon-in-building-services-engineering/) * IPCC. (2021). Climate Change 2021: The Physical Science Basis — AR6 Working Group I (source of GWP100 characterization factors). [ipcc.ch/report/ar6/wg1](https://www.ipcc.ch/report/ar6/wg1/) #### Carbon Storage & Sequestration Factors * ACLCA (2019). Guidance to Calculating Non-LCIA Inventory Metrics in Accordance with ISO 21930:2017. [lcacenter.org/products/iso-21930-guidance](https://lcacenter.org/products/iso-21930-guidance) * CEN (2014). EN-16449 — Wood and wood-based products: calculation of biogenic carbon content and conversion to CO2. * Hoxha, E., Passer, A., Saade, M.R.M., Trigaux, D., Shuttleworth, A., Pittau, F., Allacker, K., & Habert, G. (2020). Biogenic carbon in buildings: a critical overview of LCA methods. Buildings and Cities, 1(1), 504–524. [doi.org/10.5334/bc.46](https://doi.org/10.5334/bc.46) * Carbon Conscience. [carbon-conscience.web.app](https://carbon-conscience.web.app/) * Pathfinder. [climatepositivedesign.com](https://climatepositivedesign.com/) * McPherson, E.G. & Simpson, J.R. (1999). Carbon dioxide reduction through urban forestry. USDA Forest Service. [fs.usda.gov/research/treesearch/6779](https://www.fs.usda.gov/research/treesearch/6779) * Ingram, D.L., Hall, C.R., & Knight, J. (2016). Carbon footprint and variable costs of production components for a container-grown evergreen shrub using life cycle assessment: An east coast US model. HortScience, 51(8), 989–994.[ ](https://doi.org/10.21273/HORTSCI.51.8.989)[doi.org/10.21273/HORTSCI.51.8.989](http://doi.org/10.21273/HORTSCI.51.8.989) * Gu, C., Crane, J., Hornberger, G., & Carrico, A. (2015). The effects of household management practices on the global warming potential of urban lawns. Science of the Total Environment.[ sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0301479715000092](https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0301479715000092) * Jones, K. (2010). Landscaping Carbon Footprint \[PDF]. University of Florida IFAS. [buildgreen.ifas.ufl.edu](https://buildgreen.ifas.ufl.edu/ppt/Handout_Landscaping_Carbon_Footprint.pdf) * FAO. Global Soil Organic Carbon Map (GSOCmap). [fao.org](https://www.fao.org/soils-portal/data-hub/soil-maps-and-databases/global-soil-organic-carbon-map-gsocmap/en/) ### Material Quantity & Energy Use Estimates #### Material Quantity Estimates * Price & Myers. Climate Action Dataset. [pricemyers.com/climate-action](https://www.pricemyers.com/climate-action) * MIT Building Technology Program / ETH Zurich Circular Engineering for Architecture Lab. deQo — Database of Embodied Quantity Outputs. [carbondeqo.com](https://www.carbondeqo.com/) * RASMI (2024). Harmonized building material intensity database. Scientific Data. [nature.com/articles/s41597-024-03190-7](https://www.nature.com/articles/s41597-024-03190-7) * Payette. (2021). Kaleidoscope Embodied Carbon Design Tool. [payette.com/kaleidoscope](https://www.payette.com/kaleidoscope/) (Reference cladding and roofing assemblies with typical quantity take-offs) * Carbon Leadership Forum (2018). Interior Fit-Out (TI) Study and MEP Study. [carbonleadershipforum.org/office-buildings-lca](https://carbonleadershipforum.org/office-buildings-lca/) * C.Scale internal structural-quantity assumptions — internal, info on request. #### Refrigerant & Equipment Quantities * Rodriguez, B. (2019). Embodied Carbon of Heating, Ventilation, Air Conditioning and Refrigerants (HVAC+R) Systems \[dissertation]. University of Washington. [digital.lib.washington.edu/researchworks/handle/1773/44736](https://digital.lib.washington.edu/researchworks/handle/1773/44736) #### Baseline Energy Use & On-Site Generation Estimates * Architecture 2030. Zero Tool. [zerotool.org/zerotool](https://zerotool.org/zerotool/). (References CBECS 2003 / RECS 2003 baselines) * NREL. PVWatts Calculator, Version 8. [pvwatts.nrel.gov/version\_8.php](https://pvwatts.nrel.gov/version_8.php). (solar resource and PV array generation estimates) --- # Agent Instructions This documentation is published with GitBook. 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