ORIS Materials Intelligence, the first construction materials platform for a smart use of resources and low impact infrastructure, has developed a Carbon Calculator that enables the evaluation of the whole life carbon footprint of linear infrastructure projects – including roads – and construction materials. Intertek Deutschland GmbH (“Intertek”) has issued an independent assurance statement on the methodology used to develop this tool.

While the reduction of carbon emissions is becoming a main driver for the infrastructure construction industry, the calculation of such footprint remains complex with many parameters and aspects to integrate to benefit from a thorough analysis. 

The ORIS platform and its Carbon Calculator use the Life Cycle Assessment (“LCA”) standards and consider various aspects for a comprehensive carbon impact assessment. The methodology covers a very complex scope, from the extraction of raw material to the end-of-life stages, including: the product stage, the construction stage, the use stage (considering, for example, the carbonation process, and albedo impacts in the case of roads) the maintenance phase, the operational energy use, the end-of-life stage, and the valorisation of deconstruction-related waste. With the ORIS algorithms and AI, users can simulate multiple scenarios of design, sourcing, construction or maintenance, which allows identifying the main levers of carbon reduction.

Following a thorough analysis of the ORIS algorithms, database and process including multiple use cases, Intertek provides assurance that the methodology is in accordance with the referenced standards.The ORIS carbon calculation models follow international standards as below: 

• ISO 14067:2018: Greenhouse Gases – Carbon Footprint of Products – Requirements and Guidelines for Quantification  

• DS/EN 15804:2012+A2:2019: Sustainability of Construction Works – Environmental Product Declarations – Core Rules for The Product Category of Construction Products 

• ISO 21930:2017: Sustainability in buildings and civil engineering works — Core rules for environmental product declarations of construction products and services

ORIS is committed to enabling low impact infrastructure by using advanced digital technologies. Based on Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning, ORIS computes data on construction materials to provide multidimensional assessment of infrastructure designs along with recommendations to reduce the impact, including on the carbon footprint for up to -50%. 

ORIS provides a unique tool on the market and supports the transformation of the infrastructure industry by enabling a complex assessment in a simple methodical flow. To ensure the widest impact, ORIS’s Carbon Calculator will be accessible to every actor in the infrastructure construction ecosystem, from project owners to engineering firms, constructors and material suppliers.

“We are very proud to have received the Intertek independent assurance statement on our Carbon Calculator. It recognises the highest level of international standards that were used to develop our models. We are excited to bring this new capacity, that makes the footprint evaluation of linear projects and construction materials seamless and simple, and to contribute to the necessary transformation of the industry towards low impact infrastructure”, explained Nicolas Miravalls, CEO of ORIS.