Certificate in Whole Life Carbon Assessment Training Programme

Course information

Course overview

Whole life carbon assessment is key to achieving global sustainability, especially as there is an estimated 40% of carbon emissions originating from the construction sector. This standard sets out a RICS-approved technical methodology for assessing the carbon impact from buildings and related infrastructure assets throughout their lifecycle.

This training programme provides you with the tools to carry out carbon assessments in line with the requirements of the whole life carbon assessment (WLCA) standard 2nd edition. It offers many examples and case studies that will enable practitioners and industry stakeholders to apply the new standard in practical situations. 

Course structure

There are seven modules in this course:

• Preconstruction  
• Product stage  
• Construction stage  
• Use stage  
• Deconstruction (end-of-life stage) 
• Beyond the asset  (building lifecycle) 
• Production of the WLCA report 

This online training programme is designed to be completed within a 9-month period, which includes the time allotted for final assessments. Modules are released every 4 weeks to ensure a steady progression through the curriculum.

To make the most of your learning journey, we recommend dedicating a minimum of 11 hours to each module and ensuring completion of the final assessments before the course expires. In total, the programme is estimated to take at least 80 hours of commitment to achieve comprehensive learning outcomes.

Each module provides a blend of learning experiences, combining introductory videos, interactive, self-paced eLearning modules with plenty of practical examples and professional tips, reading materials, case study practices, live Q&A and consolidation sessions, quizzes and a final assessment at the end of the course which consists of a case study assignment and an online exam. Additionally, there is a discussion forum available to encourage peer interaction and enable direct communication with the course tutor for any questions or concerns.

Learning outcomes

RICS keeps a record of those that have completed and passed the assessment for the Certificate in Whole Life Carbon Assessment Training programme.  Please email onlineacademy@rics.org if you would like to check that an individual has completed the training.

Download the course guide