MCE2 has been designed by Natural Resources Canada for Canada’s home building industry. It quantifies the greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions associated with specific low-rise, residential building designs by providing two important estimates:
- The GHG emissions associated with manufacturing required building materials
- The estimated GHG emissions from operating the home (calculated using results from a HOT2000 energy model)
Together, these results predict the overall GHG impact on the climate of a new home or renovation (its carbon use intensity, or CUI) and provides industry with insights for reduction opportunities.
The tool allows users to compare materials on a component-by-component basis, as well as by whole assemblies. The majority of a building’s high-impact materials are represented in the calculator. NRCan has included a wide range of structure and enclosure assemblies and materials, as well as many common cladding, sheathing, and finishing materials for residential construction.