The embodied carbon analytics AI system developed by a consortium of Winvic Construction, University of the West of England, and Costain will soon be ready for free trials.
Built environment professionals can register for the AI System for Predicting Embodied Carbon in Construction (ASPEC) now. They will be able to access free trials towards the end of the year.
Users will be able to upload a Revit model to the web-based system. It will then calculate the building or infrastructure project’s carbon output within minutes. Materials can be altered within ASPEC to directly affect the real-time calculations of the carbon data. The consortium says this allows projects to be designed “in a ‘green first’, non-time-consuming approach for the first time”.
ASPEC is integrated with the Government Green House Gas Conversion Factors, the Inventory of Carbon and Energy and the Environment Agency, “making it the largest database of environmental construction data in the world”, the consortium claims.
However, the system also allows users to upload their own materials databases.
360-degree feedback
The consortium partners have engaged with their supply chains and other stakeholders throughout the two-year ASPEC project. The resulting 360-degree feedback has been employed to ensure the tool is user friendly and functional.
Winvic digital engineering manager and ASPEC project lead, Morgan Hambling, said: “When we started this Innovate UK-funded project two years ago, embodied construction calculation methods were onerous at best. There was simply no efficient way for design teams to proactively reduce the carbon footprint of projects. Therefore, ASPEC is transformational for the industry. Contractors, consultants and material manufacturers can at last sit in the driving seat with this fit-for-purpose cloud-based tool.
“With the Innovate UK two-year funding period now over and development in its final stages, we’re now inviting people to visit the ASPEC website to register their interest. We’re looking for professionals to get hands on in a free trial towards the end of the year. This is just the beginning where we can all make the real impact that is required to meet client and building occupier needs as well as important government and industry targets.”
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