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Structural Framing - Embodied Carbon Calculator (ECC)

Estimate the embodied carbon of your steel-framed walls — fast.

The Embodied Carbon Calculators (ECC) from ClarkDietrich lets you enter wall dimensions and framing details (stud spacing, size, bracing, track, and more) to calculate total steel weight — and instantly convert that into embodied carbon (Global Warming Potential, GWP) and greenhouse-gas equivalencies.

This tool helps designers, builders, and sustainability-focused teams understand the carbon impact of their steel framing choices and evaluate options such as standard vs. low-embodied-carbon steel to support lower-impact building designs.

Inputs

Wall




Stud


S162 (1-5/8")
Punched

Lateral Bracing




Track

T125 (1-1/4")



T125 (1-1/4")


Weight calculations

Stud





Track









Lateral Bracing








Total Embodied Carbon (GWP)







Greenhouse Gas Equivalencies


This is equivalent to greenhouse gas emissions from:




var _vehicles_per_year = _lec_carbon_savings / 1000 / 4.29;
var _home_energy_per_year = _lec_carbon_savings / 1000 / 7.45;
var _propane_cylinders = _lec_carbon_savings / 1000 / 0.0217;

ECC Notes and Disclaimers

For Informational Purposes Only

This Embodied Carbon Calculator (ECC) is provided by ClarkDietrich exclusively for informational and estimation purposes. The results generated are estimates based on specific data and assumptions outlined below and should not be considered as professional engineering, architectural, or design advice. ClarkDietrich makes no warranty, express or implied, regarding the accuracy, completeness, or reliability of the calculations.

Users are solely responsible for verifying the suitability of any materials for their specific project and for all design, engineering, and construction decisions. Consult with a qualified design professional or engineer for any project-specific guidance.

Data & Methodology Notes

Data Source: The embodied carbon values used in this calculator are derived from ClarkDietrich's third-party verified Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs), which are specific to the manufacturing of our cold-formed steel framing products.

Scope of Calculation: This calculator uses a "cradle-to-gate" scope (A1-A3), meaning it accounts for the environmental impact of raw material extraction, transportation to the manufacturing facility, and the manufacturing process itself. It does not include impacts from the construction phase (A4-A5), the use phase (B), or the end-of-life phase (C).

Assumptions: The calculator makes the following key assumptions:

Material Efficiency: It assumes 100% material efficiency with no waste. In a real-world scenario, actual embodied carbon may be higher due to job-site waste.

Component Scope: The calculation includes only the embodied carbon of traditional structural and nonstructural studs and track, and in wall bridging, bracing and clips as selected by the user. It does not account for any additional components such as headers, king studs, deflection systems, resilient channel or fasteners for example.

Rounding: The calculation for the total number of studs is rounded up to the nearest whole number to ensure a sufficient quantity of materials for the wall length.

Greenhouse Calculations and data source: The equivalent values used in this calculator are based on calculations provided by EPA Greenhouse Gas Equivalencies Calculator and from EPA’s Calculations and References using conversion factors based on October 2024 version of the EPA Greenhouse Gas Equivalencies Calculator - Revision History.

No Warranties

ClarkDietrich makes no warranties, express or implied, regarding the accuracy, completeness, or suitability of this calculator or its outputs. To the maximum extent permitted by law, ClarkDietrich disclaims liability for any errors, omissions, or damages arising from its use.

Liability Limitation

ClarkDietrich shall not be liable for any indirect, incidental, consequential, or punitive damages, including lost profits, resulting from the use of this tool, even if advised of the possibility of such damages.

Intellectual Property and Updates

All data and methodologies are proprietary to ClarkDietrich and based on current publicly available EPDs. The tool may be updated periodically; prior outputs do not reflect changes. Users agree not to reverse-engineer or redistribute results without permission.