Groundforce unveils carbon calculator

Specialist shoring supplier Groundforce Shorco has unveiled a carbon calculator for temporary works as part of its aim to become carbon neutral by 2050.

Photo: Groundforce Shorco

Designed for use in the shoring industry, the calculator enables users to estimate the embodied carbon of what they are hiring, based on how long they hire it for.

According to the company, which is a subsidiary of UK rental firm VP plc, carbon reporting for temporary structures can present challenges as components are often reused.

However, the calculator developed by the company has been adapted to ensure that companies can estimate carbon reporting on temporary works by analysing the carbon in its entire fleet, its life expectancy and its average utilisation, to calculate a weekly C02 per unit weight of either steel or aluminium.

Oliver J Smith, head of engineering design, Groundforce Shorco, said, “This methodology is free to access for all and we would like to encourage others in the fleet rental and temporary works markets to consider this when establishing methods for C02e calculations.

“We believe this is a positive step in leading to sustainable improvements within our industry and would welcome an open dialogue to develop this further.

“Calculating the carbon footprint of the projects we work on is essential to reducing our impact on our planet. It allows us to make informed decisions about what we will build and how we will build it to meet the pressing need to cut carbon emissions across the world.”

As well as the calculator, Groundforce Shorco is releasing a detailed technical guide for the on the methodology, data, the assumptions made, and the reasoning behind the calculation.