All Project Settings
These settings apply at the project level to the baseline and all scenarios, so every scenario shares the same underlying assumptions and remains comparable.
To refine the project, click Edit Project Info in the left-hand panel.
Edit Project Info button in the left-hand panel.
Scope settings.
One of the leading causes of misalignment between wbLCA results is that they cover different project scopes. For instance, one model may contain only "structure, foundation, and envelope" while another will contain "structure, foundation, envelope, interiors, MEP, and site."
Refine your scope of analysis by including or excluding LCA stages or parts of the building to meet reporting goals or facilitate comparison with other projects.
C.Scale saves any decarbonization measures in excluded parts of the scope but makes them temporarily unavailable while they are out of scope. When you restore their scope, the values reappear as last entered.
Analysis Period
Section titled “Analysis Period”Select an analysis period to determine over how many years the analysis takes place.
Life Cycle Stages
Section titled “Life Cycle Stages”Clear a life cycle stage to remove its emissions from the C.Scale model. A1-A3 is always included.
Categories
Section titled “Categories”Clear a category to remove it from the C.Scale model and disable its decarbonization measures in the right-hand panel.
Invite Collaborators
Section titled “Invite Collaborators”Invite external guests to the project. See Sharing and Collaboration.
General
Section titled “General”
General settings.
Unit System
Section titled “Unit System”Modify the unit system for the project's calculations.
Project Name
Section titled “Project Name”Select a name for your project.
Confidential Project
Section titled “Confidential Project”Confidential projects have their names hidden.
Construction Type
Section titled “Construction Type”New Construction or Reuse and Retrofit.
Project Status
Section titled “Project Status”Active, Completed, Study or Archive.
Project Number
Section titled “Project Number”Your organization's internal tracking number (optional).
Year of Project Completion
Section titled “Year of Project Completion”The year that construction is completed and building operation begins. This is the year to which construction emissions are attributed and the C.Scale model begins calculating operational carbon emissions.
Location
Section titled “Location”
Location settings.
Address
Section titled “Address”The project's address. C.Scale uses it to locate the project and set its ASHRAE climate zone.
Use settings.
Primary Use
Section titled “Primary Use”The use category most reflective of the project’s main use. This is used to determine the building's energy use and its structural requirements.
Secondary Use
Section titled “Secondary Use”If the primary use comprises less than 100% of the program, select a secondary program for the remainder. This program will affect the EUI (resulting in a ‘blended EUI’) but will not affect the estimate of the building’s structural system.
Building Size
Section titled “Building Size”
Building size settings.
Number of Above Ground Floors
Section titled “Number of Above Ground Floors”The number of building floors above grade. These floors will be assessed using the selected structural system.
Total Above Ground Constructed Floor Area
Section titled “Total Above Ground Constructed Floor Area”The total constructed floor area above ground.
Number of Below Ground Floors
Section titled “Number of Below Ground Floors”The number of building floors below grade. These floors will be assessed as having a reinforced concrete structural system.
Total Below Ground Constructed Floor Area
Section titled “Total Below Ground Constructed Floor Area”The total constructed floor area below ground.
Sitework
Section titled “Sitework”
Sitework settings.
Total Site Area
Section titled “Total Site Area”The total site area, including the building footprint and landscaping. The site area cannot be smaller than the building's footprint.
Site Condition
Section titled “Site Condition”Choose Brownfield for a previously developed site or Greenfield for one that is not. If the site is not previously developed, it is a greenfield site and the project incurs an emissions penalty for the site disturbance. The magnitude of this penalty is equivalent to the site area’s sequestration potential with low-sequestration plantings.
Electricity Grid
Section titled “Electricity Grid”
Electricity grid settings.
Future Scenario
Section titled “Future Scenario”The future of the electric grid is uncertain. C.Scale gives you the choice between three future scenarios, each derived from NREL's CAMBIUM model.
- Mid-Case Decarbonization. Average estimates for inputs such as technology costs, fuel prices, and demand growth. No inclusion of nascent technologies. Electric sector policies as they existed in September 2022, with the assumption that the Inflation Reduction Act’s Production and Investment Tax Credits do not phase out. This metric is described in NREL's Cambium model as "Midcase."
- Slow Decarbonization. Average estimates as in the mid-case scenario, but with an assumption that battery and renewable energy costs are high. This scenario assumes that the thresholds set by the Inflation Reduction Act’s Production and Investment Tax Credits are not met and, as such, they do not phase out. This metric is described in NREL's Cambium model as "High Cost of Renewable Energy."
- Rapid Decarbonization. Average estimates for inputs such as technology costs, fuel prices, and demand growth. Nascent technologies are included. Electric sector policies as they existed in September 2022, with the assumption that the Inflation Reduction Act’s Production and Investment Tax Credits do not phase out. High-level assumption that the national electricity grid's carbon emissions in 2050 are 5% of their 2005 level. This metric is described in NREL's Cambium model as "95% decarbonization by 2050."
Emission Metric
Section titled “Emission Metric”C.Scale provides two metrics to account for building emissions, both derived from NREL's CAMBIUM model and using GWP-100 characterization factors.
Energy Benchmark
Section titled “Energy Benchmark”
Energy benchmark settings.
Benchmark Energy Use Intensity (EUI)
Section titled “Benchmark Energy Use Intensity (EUI)”The industry-wide benchmark energy use intensity for buildings of this size, type, and location.
Benchmark Fossil Fuel Use (as % of EUI)
Section titled “Benchmark Fossil Fuel Use (as % of EUI)”The benchmark percentage of annual energy use from on-site fossil fuel combustion.
Include Upstream Natural Gas Leakage
Section titled “Include Upstream Natural Gas Leakage”Include upstream natural gas supply-chain leakage in operational carbon. When on, the model uses the US supply-chain default rate; when off, leakage is excluded.
Energy Code
Section titled “Energy Code”For tracking and reporting only. Does not affect benchmark EUI or fuel mix.
Refrigerants
Section titled “Refrigerants”
Refrigerants settings.
Average Refrigerant Leakage Rates
Section titled “Average Refrigerant Leakage Rates”Annual and end-of-life refrigerant leakage rates are typically a model assumption, not a carbon reduction measures. In C.Scale, choose LEED or one of three CIBSE TM65 types. The panel shows the installation, annual and end-of-life leakage rates for the choice.
Compliance
Section titled “Compliance”
Compliance settings.
Select the compliance frameworks to track on the project: CALGreen (5.409.3 Product GWP Compliance–Prescriptive Path) and LEED v4.1 (credits contributing to LEED v4.1 certification).