Activity data·Sector & specialist
How to measure emissions from Construction
Construction activity data covers structural materials such as concrete, insulation and metal, plus construction-related professional services like architecture and remediation, recorded by mass, volume or spend under Scope 3 Category 1. Split fit-out furniture into the separate Furniture entry, and request a materials schedule from contractors rather than relying on a single lump-sum invoice for better sub-type granularity.
- Scope
- Scope 3 Category 1
- What activity data you need
- m, m2, m3, kg, tonne, Unit, £ Spend, $ Spend
- Activity data
- Sector & specialist
What counts as Construction
Construction works and construction-related purchased goods — including concrete, insulation, cement and plaster, glass and ceramic products, structural metal, and associated architecture, engineering and remediation services — used in building or civil engineering projects. Excludes furniture and fit-out items not part of the structural works (see Furniture), and general materials purchased outside a construction project (see Materials).
Construction spans both physical materials (concrete, insulation, structural metal) measured in mass or volume, and construction-related professional services (architecture, engineering, remediation) measured as spend, reflecting how mixed a typical construction project invoice is. The key boundary decision is separating structural/fabric works recorded here from movable furniture and equipment recorded under Furniture — a refurbishment invoice covering both partitioning (Construction) and new desks (Furniture) should be split between the two entries rather than recorded as a single construction line.
How to collect the data
Contractor invoices, bills of quantities, or quantity-surveyor reports are the best source for physical material volumes (m3 of concrete, m2 of insulation, tonnes of structural metal); architecture, engineering and remediation services are typically only available as spend from professional-services invoices. For large capital projects, request a materials schedule from the main contractor rather than relying on a single lump-sum invoice, since this allows you to split spend across the correct material and service sub-types.
What activity data you need
Collect the most specific physical unit available. Unit definitions are in Appendix I — Description of Units.
- m
- m2
- m3
- kg
- tonne
- Unit
- £ Spend
- $ Spend
Which emission scope it falls under
Construction activity data typically maps to Scope 3 Category 1 under the GHG Protocol. Confirm organisational boundary and ownership before reporting.
By emission scope
Compliance frameworks
Common sub-types
- Concrete: UK average
- Insulation: UK average
- Architecture and engineering services: Average: UK
- Cement, concrete and plaster: Average: UK
- Construction works: Average: UK
- Glass and ceramic products: Average: UK
- Metal: Iron and steel: Average: UK
- Remediation services: Average: UK
Compare Your Footprint covers 740 options for this activity.
Common questions
- How do we split a single contractor invoice covering both materials and labour/design services?
- Request an itemised breakdown from the contractor or quantity surveyor; record physical materials (concrete, insulation, metal) by mass or volume against the relevant sub-type, and professional/design services (architecture, engineering) as spend against their own sub-type.
- Does new office furniture bought as part of a fit-out project count as Construction?
- No — movable furniture is recorded under the Furniture entry even if purchased as part of a wider fit-out or construction project; only the structural and fabric works belong here.
- We only have a total project cost with no materials breakdown — what should we do?
- Use "Construction works: Average: UK" for the blended spend as an interim measure, and request a materials schedule or bill of quantities from your contractor for future projects to improve granularity.
- Does remediation work (e.g. asbestos removal, land decontamination) belong in this entry?
- Yes, remediation services have their own sub-type here; record the service spend under "Remediation services: Average: UK" rather than folding it into general construction works spend.
- How should we record structural steel versus general purchased metal for equipment?
- Structural steel used in a building or civil project should use the Construction entry's metal sub-type; metal purchased for equipment, machinery or general purchased goods outside a construction project belongs under the separate Metal entry instead.
Next step
Start benchmarking your Construction footprint
Apply matching emission factors in Compare Your Footprint and compare your footprint against sector peers.
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