We recommend that the Government should change the term embodied energy to embodied carbon in the National Model Design Code and provide a clear definition of embodied carbon and whole-life carbon in the NMDC based on the WLCN, Building to net zero: costing carbon in construction 67 LETI and RIBA definitions. The Government should provide guidance on how to assess embodied carbon by setting a national methodology for whole-life carbon assessments, as we have recommended in Chapter 2 above.

We recommend that the Government should change the term embodied energy to embodied carbon in the National Model Design Code and provide a clear definition of embodied carbon and whole-life carbon in the NMDC based on the WLCN, Building to net zero: costing carbon in construction 67 LETI and RIBA definitions. The Government should provide guidance on how to assess embodied carbon by setting a national methodology for whole-life carbon assessments, as we have recommended in Chapter 2 above. Type: recommendation | Number: 13 | Paragraph: 91 | Response status: accepted Government response: The National Model Design Code was published in July 2021 and since then Government has been working with a number of local authorities testing and applying the guidance. We are actively reviewing all comments on the National Model Design Code and will assess these in light of reforms to the plannin