Presentation of the new version of the COAC ECO2 tool

On 24 April, the presentation of the new version of the ECO2 tool took place at COAC. ECO2 is an application developed by AUS and the Institut de Tecnologia de la Construcció de Catalunya (ITeC), with the support of COAC, which facilitates the calculation of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions associated with the materials used in an architectural project.

The ECO2 tool was created with the aim of raising architects’ awareness of the carbon footprint of buildings and integrating environmental considerations into project decision-making, thereby contributing to the transition towards a more conscious architecture aligned with the sector’s decarbonisation goals.

The event served to present the new functionalities incorporated into the tool, designed to facilitate its integration into architects’ usual workflows.

Among the main new features is the integration with COAC’s Building Permit platform, which streamlines project data input and facilitates project management. The new functionality for exporting quantity take-offs in bc3 format was also presented, ensuring compatibility with the main cost estimation software and improving interoperability with other working tools.

During the session, the tool’s ability to operate at different levels of project definition was highlighted, ranging from initial estimates to more detailed analyses linked to the executive design stage. This makes ECO2 a design support tool for assessing the environmental impact of decisions related to building materiality.

The welcome and opening of the event were delivered by Toni Escudé, Treasurer of the AUS Board and architect in the Technical Specification and Sustainability Department at Tallfusta.

This was followed by a presentation of the new version of the ECO2 tool and its integration possibilities within project workflows by Albert Sagrera, Vice-President of AUS and partner at Societat Orgànica, together with Marta Uson from COAC’s Building Permit Department.

Sebastián Christen, Assistant Technician in the Sustainable Construction Department at ITeC,, explained how the application works, while Júlia Duran Vilalta, architect at Llindar Arquitectura, shared her experience from professional practice. Finally, Licinio Alfaro, Head of the Sustainable Construction Department at ITeC and member of the AUS Board, reflected on the need to parameterise and integrate environmental data into standard project processes.

The event concluded with an open discussion moderated by Toni Escudé, in which attendees shared reflections on the challenges and opportunities associated with the decarbonisation of the building sector.

Through this initiative, AUS, COAC and ITeC reinforce their shared commitment to reducing the environmental impact of the building sector and to preparing the profession for future regulatory requirements related to the assessment of buildings’ environmental impact.

You can watch the full session and access the presentation of the new version of the ECO2 tool via the following link:

If you are interested in becoming part of this network of professionals committed to sustainability and taking part in debates, visits and other activities, we encourage you to join AUS.

For more information, you can contact us at auscatalunya@coac.cat.