Frequently Asked Questions
Methodology, calculation & schemes
Which GWP (A1-A3) value is registered in Reduzer?
When registering EPDs in Reduzer, we use GWP-IOBC. GWP-IOBC, assumes that all the CO₂ that is absorbed by trees during photosynthesis is released at the same time that it is absorbed. When GWP-IOBC is not provided we use GWP-fossil. GWP-fossil only takes into account greenhouse gases from fossil sources and excludes the impact of biogenic carbon. For most products, the values of GWP-fossil and GWP-IOBC are close to one another. In situations where neither of these values are provided and we have a wood-based product or a product that has biogenic content, we have a specific calculator at Reduzer that allows us to calculate GWP-IOBC. But if a product does not have any biogenic content, we can usually use the GWP values that are provided.
How are the average GWP (A1-A3) of subcategories calculated?
The average values are calculated from all the EPD-values in that subcategory and are updated once a week. Note that generic data is not used to calculate the average value.
The GWP (A1-A3) average value is always in kgCO₂eqq/kg. That is why it is important to provide the densities of the products so if the GWP (A1-A3) of a product is provided per m³ or m², we convert them into kgCO₂eqq/kg.
For example: If the EPD only provides the emissions per m², we divide the emissions by the area density. (kgCO₂eqq/m²) / (kg/m²) = kgCO₂eqq/kg
Module B1 in Reduzer
Within B1 (use), carbonation of concrete and uptake of biogenic carbon are calculated.
Carbonation of concrete: This means that the concrete absorbs some CO₂ from the air during its lifetime. This comes as a negative item on the accounts, and is included in most Schemes.
Uptake of biogenic carbon: This includes the effect of trees and plant-based products storing carbon as long as they are in the building. This comes as a negative item on the accounts, and is only included in a few schemes.
Module B2 in Reduzer
In Reduzer, maintenance emissions will be allocated to B2 rather than B4 where appropriate. This only applies to a few material categories, including paint, surface treatment, etc. For the majority of material categories, however, we do not calculate any B2 emissions, only any replacements that are calculated in B4.
In general, emissions in B2 will be very small in any case, and in most calculations it will make up such a small part of the total that it “disappears in the uncertainty”.
It can also be challenging to distinguish between the different phases: B2, B3, and B4. The guide to TEK17 also states the following: “There is not always a clear distinction between what is maintenance and what is replacement, and whether the emissions should therefore be added to B2 or B4. In any case, the most important thing is that the emissions are included in the greenhouse gas accounts.”
For example, paint or wood impregnation can be added as a material. Emissions from future coats of paint or impregnation are then added to B2.
Reduzer does not use the B2 emissions directly from the EPD.
How do you calculate the C-phase in NS3720?
C2 is calculated from the transport distance you have chosen in the project info, the default is set to 50km, and from the emission factor for the transport, given by the calculation method (usually 0.1667 kgCO₂eq/ton*km). This distance can be edited after creating your project by going to the edit section. You can select the 3 dots on the far right of your project, then select the "edit project details" option and change the distance under "distance to waste handling".
What environmental indicators can be calculated in Reduzer, according to BREEAM Mat 01 calculator?
As of today, we have the following environmental indicators according to BREEAM's definition, which can be calculated in Reduzer:
- Global warming potential GWP
- Use of secondary material (kg)
- Components for re-use (kg)
- Materials for energy recovery (kg)
- Exported energy (kWh)
- Embodied carbon (CO₂eq)
- Circularity (CO₂, mass, cost)
- Operational carbon (CO₂, kWh)
Reduzer is approved by BREEAM as an LCA tool and can safely be used here.
These can be found in excel sheets when exporting the material list, and in the result figures for “Energy use”.
BREEAM's definition of environmental indicators includes both the indicators defined in EN 15978:2011 and other indicators that can be found in this Excel sheet
When it comes to environmental indicators, this has been a question we have received from many BREEAM projects. As has been the practice, you do not necessarily need to report environmental indicators other than GWP, but you get a higher score in the Mat 01 calculator if you use a tool that has these indicators available.
How are the benchmarks calculated when different shapes have different typologies?
For buildings that include several typologies, the reference value is calculated as a weighted average on the basis of area distribution.
How is the Material composition calculated for EPDs?
When registering EPDs in the Product Library in Reduzer, the material composition of each product needs to be recorded. In Reduzer, we register the wood, fossil, cement, and metal content of each product based on the information that is provided in the EPD. The wood percentage provides an overview of the dry “organic content” of the product such as dry wood, dry hemp, linoleum, natural oils etc. The fossil percentage refers to the percentage of fossil-based materials in a product. The cement percentage refers to the amount of cement in each product, for example the amount of cement in a concrete slab. And the metal percentages provide an overview of the amount of metal that is used in a product; for example, the percentage of rebar that is present in a hollow-core concrete slab.
What is the defination of GWP-IOBC?
Based on Tek17, 2023, GWP-IOBC is the global warming potential based on “instantaneous oxidation of biogenic carbon”. This means that GWP-IOBC (A1-A3) impact is calculated by assuming that the biogenic carbon that is bound in the wood is released in the same module. According to Tek17, we must use emission values based on the principle of immediate oxidation for greenhouse gas accounting.
What is the definition of GWP-fossil?
According to "Nordic Innovation publication", GWP-fossil accounts for "the GWP from greenhouse gas emissions and removals to any media originating from the oxidation or reduction of fossil fuels or materials containing fossil carbon through their transformation or degradation (e.g. combustion, incineration, landfilling, etc.). This indicator also accounts for the GWP from GHG emissions, e.g. from peat and calcination, as well as GHG removals, e.g. from the carbonation of cement-based materials and lime. The indicator also includes the emission of laughing gas (N2O) from renewable sources."
How is the indicative GWP calculated?
The indicative GWP is the sum of all the emission phases included in the selected scheme. It is not only production of materials (A1-A3), but can also be transportation (A4), wastage (A5), use stage (B1, B2, B4), end-of-life stage (C1, C2, C3, C4) and supplementary information (D). See the example below for further clarification:
- The indicative GWP that you see in the table is the GWP of all the phases.
- GWP in the EPD is for the phases A1-A3 (IOBC) = 0.16711 kgCO₂eq/ kg.
You can understand how the indicative GWP is calculated by selecting on the results button of EPDs. If negative values are registered in phase B for example due to cement's carbonation, the indicative GWP can be lower than the GWP of A1-A3. You can view the exact values of each phase by selecting the "view as table" button on the bottom right corner (see the screenshot below). The same applies to all of the EPDs in the library.
As mentioned earlier, the indicative GWP values are also dependent on the scheme that you choose. For example, if you choose Tek17 as your scheme, the total indicative GWP changes to 0,18 kg CO₂eq/kg because in Tek17, cement's carbonation is not considered so there is no negative value in phase B (see the screenshot below). 
What sources/references are used for the End of Life (EOL) scenarios and the recycled contents of the subcategories in Reduzer?
The End of Life (EOL) scenarios and the recycled contents of the subcategories in Reduzer are conservative values that are derived from various sources such as the green material guide, RICS guideline and studying the industry practices through several EPDs.
End of Life-scenariene (EOL) og det resirkulerte innholdet i underkategoriene i Reduzer er konservative verdier som er utledet fra ulike kilder, for eksempel den grønne materialguiden, RICS-retningslinjene og studier av bransjepraksis gjennom flere EPD-er.
What is the difference between New, reused, existing kept, existing waste?
These are the definitions of the terms: New: When you are using a completely new material. 
Reused: When you are using a completely reused material. Only 20% of the emissions in A1-3 will be accounted. 
Existing kept:: When you are building on a site that already has an existing building that is going to be kept. The emissions in C2 are calculated because the product will remain until the end of life phase (phase C) of the building. 
Existing waste:: When you have some waste on your site that needs to be taken to landfill or incinerated. For example any demolishment on the building site. 
Are generic values for product types given a markup of 25% in A1-A3 in your databases?
The mark-up of 25% for A1-3 is automatically added to all generic values (average subcategory values that are calculated using all the EPDs that exist in each subcategory) and custom study entries in the product library if the selected calculation method states that this should be done. For example, this is automatically added when choosing the TEK17 scheme, but not in the FutureBuilt scheme.
Is it currently possible to create a custom scheme?
Yes, its possible to create a custom scheme. Click on the drop-down menu in the top right and add a custom scheme. We can help you if you are unsure, feel free to send us a message via Reduzer support chat. 
Is there a conversion factor for litres of bio diesel to kWh?
You can use the conversion factor of 8.99kWh/kg for bio diesel.
Where can I find the different schemes and how can I change them?
You can find the schemes at the top right corner of your page. You can look into the available schemes or change your scheme simply by selecting the "Scheme" bar.
Are the calculations in Reduzer prepared in accordance to NS 3720:2018 Greenhouse gas calculations for buildings chapter 8.4 - Results?
Yes, the Greenhouse gas calculations in Reduzer are prepared in accordance to NS 3720:2018 Greenhouse gas calculations for buildings chapter 8.4 - Results.
How can I view the life cycle phases that are included in each scheme?
You can view and read about the calculation methodology and different subschemes by going into the settings of the schemes and selecting the information "i" icon.
Project
How can I add a new a project?
You can do so by simply selecting "projects" from your dashboard and then selecting "add new project". Then you can enter the project's details and select "save". After creating your project, you have to create your building (object) by selecting "add new object" and then create a version of your building by selecting "add new version" (see the screenshots below).
How can I set a product origin to reuse?
To set a product origin in a component to reuse and to compare your results, you can start by duplicating your component and then editing the duplicated component.
When you are in "Edit Component", you can then edit the product/inventory that you want to set to reuse, for example rebar, by selecting the "3 dots".
Then, you can scroll down to the bottom of the page, select "Reused" and save your product/inventory.
You now have two components and the one with lower emission consists of "reused" rebars.
Can I add solar cells/panels to my project?
We have a number of "photovoltaic panels" and "solar thermal collectors" EPDs registered in Reduzer's global library. So you can add any of them as an product to your desired building element, for example external walls or roof, to perform calculations (see the screenshot below).
How can I add users to my project?
You can do so by selecting "project members" on the top right corner and then selecting either "add user by email invite" or "add user from company". You can also set a role for your colleague as an "editor" or a "viewer" (see the screenshot below).
How to import an Excel template?
You can download an Excel file template that we have and then upload it once you have completed filling it out (see the screenshots below).
How to add materials in a project?
There are several ways to add materials to a project:
- You can use our auto model to create a version. Auto models have default average values stored in them. Once you have created the auto model, you can go into each inventory and select a specific EPD from our product library.
- You can import materials using our Excel import. To use this option, you need to enter the specific EPD number/registration number of the materials in your Excel file before importing the file.
- You can also connect to your BIM model and start assigning components that we have in our library to each building element.
- You can also add materials manually by creating an empty version, either by adding inventory or components from our product and component libraries.
How to set a reusability percentage for a product?
In Reduzer, we currently have the option to set a reusability percentage for products. You can see that option when you are editing your product. When the edit window is open, you have to scroll down to the "scenario for end-of-life", deselect the "use default probability of end-of-life reuse" and then enter the percentage of reusability (see the screenshot below).
Is it possible to compare the emissions between different buildings in a project?
Yes, it is possible to compare the emissions between different buildings in a project by choosing one version in each building (construction object) as the "main version" and then choosing the buildings you want to compare with one another (see the screenshots).
When I try to compare buildings, the graphs are empty – am I doing something wrong?
To compare different buildings in a project, you must first create "favorite" versions in each building (construction object) (this is because in each building you may have several versions). You can do so by starring a version in each building, selecting the "compare construction objects" feature, selecting the buildings that you want to compare and then selecting the compare button.
Why I cannot see some element numbers?
In order to view the element number that you are looking for, you need to pay attention to the scheme that you have chosen and the 2 filtering options that we currently have (see the screenshot below).
Schemes: In some schemes element number 49 is not included for example in TEK17.
You have to make sure that you are viewing "All" the element numbers or that you are in element number "4 - Power" to view element number 49 for example.
Grouping: If you are grouping your inventories based on "parametric link" or "none", then you would not see any element numbers.
How to handle surplus products?
For greenhouse gas calculation: To get it right, you can add the surplus materials as separate products in My or Company library. It will then be up to you to define an emission factor, and it should be 40% lower than a typical factor for an equivalent new product.
For circularity: If you want to get a circularity index that includes surplus materials, you can download “Inventory list” to Excel, see short video here: Excel export. You can then edit this file by changing the input in the “Product origin” column from ‘New’ to “Surplus”, for all rows that are a surplus material. You will then have a file where you can calculate what proportion of the total weight these materials account for.
Other input data for circularity can be found in this graph: 
How to add a shape to an empty version?
You have to assign a shape to a version created via "empty version" or "Excel import" function in order to get GWP per gross floor area. You can do so by selecting the "typology and design parameters", selecting a shape and adding data to your shape. Note that you need to select "using manual input" if you do not want our automodel typologies to populate your material inventory list.
Why do I get "Please fill required fields error" when nothing is missing?
If you have encountered this error, it is because a required field is missing information. If you cannot easily spot the field, it can help to scroll to the bottom of the page and open “project specific conditions” to find the fields that are missing information. For example, maybe the "scenario for end-of-life" is missing some information.
Can I create my own benchmark?
You cannot create your own benchmark but if there is a benchmark that you like us to add into Reduzer, please feel free to reach out to us.
Why the products and components that are used in a project do not become automatically updated?
To allow our users to have full control of their projects, we do not automatically update the Products or Components that are stored in the version.
There may be changes in the registered EPDs due to many reasons, sometimes an EPD gets updated with the same EPD number, sometimes there are minor changes in our average values etc. but because we want our users to have full control of the changes that are made to their project, we do not edit their EPDs.
There are, however, two quick ways in which products can be updated in a project. "Bulk edit" and "sync inventories" are the two functions that allow quick updates. Through our Bulk edit functionality, users can change all the products in one category together and through our Sync inventories function, the entire project will be updated and synchronized with the latest inventory values (refer to the screenshots for visual explanation).
Can I add new schemes to my project after my project is created?
Yes, you can add new schemes to your project after you have created your project in 2 ways.
- When inside your project, you can select the "scheme" field on the top right and then select "Add more schemes".
- From the main project list, you can select the "Edit Project Details" and then select "Select Schemes" to make changes to the schemes in your project. Furthermore, you can select "show all" to view all the available schemes and save your changes (see the screenshots below).
Can I add an EPD to components in the material list?
If the component uses the average value from Reduzer, you can select the "+ add EPD" button to assign an EPD to an inventory (see the screenshot). If an EPD is already selected, you can change (swap) the EPD with another EPD by clicking the orange icon.
Can I change the transport distance (A4) of inventories in my version?
There are two ways in which you can edit the transport distance (A4).
- You can do so by directly clicking on the transportation distance in the "tranport" column.
- You can also change the transport distance by editing inventories. This is done by selecting the 3 dots on the far right of each inventory and editing "transport to site" (see the screenshot).
Can I make changes to the template Excel sheet that I have uploaded in a version and re-load it to the same version?
Currently, if you work on your template Excel file after you have uploaded it to a version, you cannot re-load it again to the same version. To have your latest file, you have to create a new version and import your Excel file again.
Can I export the inventory list as an Export file?
You can export the inventory list as an Excel file. You can do so by selecting "show EPDs individual" on the right side of the search bar and then selecting "export inventory".
Can I account for the transportation of excavated masses to landfill?
Yes, you can. You can do so by adding an inventory and selecting "Existing waste" under "Product's origin" (see the screenshots below).
If the emissions do not appear, it is because they are filtered out by the selected scheme, and you can disable the system limit here to view the results (see the screenshot below). 
Does Reduzer have any numbers on what demolishing emissions are per m²?
- By creating the demolished building in Automodel and selecting "existing waste" for all the elements.
- By changing the product origin of a single product to "existing waste" by editing the product.
Can I change the GWP unit of a version?
Yes, you can change the GWP unit of a version by selecting the "functional unit" tab and then choosing your preferred functional unit from the drop down menu.
Automodel
Are the "external window wall ratio" and the "external glass facade wall ratio" in the automodel relevant to each other?
No, these two parameters are not relevant to each other. The "external window wall ratio" and the "external glass facade wall ratio" are relevant to the total area of the external wall. They both indicate the percentage of the external wall that is dedicated to window and glass facade. For example: if the total area of the external wall is 390 m² and the external window wall ratio is set to 25% and the external glass facade wall ratio is set to 15%, the area of the external window is 97.5m² and the area of the glass facade is 58.5m².
What is included in the "cladding" section of the automodel?
In the cladding section of the automodel, the final finish layer of the external wall is identified.
Why are there empty components?
When a version is created using Automodel, every typology has several options that you can choose from and each option is tied to a component. An option that is left unselected remains as an empty component which is automatically hidden from users view. To view those empty components, you can select the "3 dots" on the top right corner and select "show Empty Components".
BIM
How to reuse the mapping for different versions when the components are the same?
If the materials used were modified (ex. insulation was deleted from the standard component or an EPD was added) then these "modified components" can be stored in your personal library or company library, and then used when mapping the other model. To do so, you can click on the 3 dots icon and select "Add to Component library".
Choosing "My" will store the component in your personal library. To avoid confusion, it would be good to change the names and description of these components to something fitting (ex. specify whether or not the component has insulation). This can be done in the tab shown in the screenshot, but also before adding it to the company/ my library by editing the component first.
Once such components are added to "library" you can find them while in the other model inside Company or My Components library (depending where they were added) and map as the normal procedure for mapping.
How do I upload my model onto Speckle and connect Reduzer to Speckle for using the BIM connection?
Below are the steps to successfully install the Speckle plugin and connect Reduzer to Speckle.
- Download and install the Speckle plugin, from Archicad or Revit.
- Information on how the plugin works for Archicad and Revit.
- A short walkthrough video on how BIM linking works in Reduzer.
- If you are using Archicad and have a large model you should follow the steps in the attached Archicad guide.
During BIM connection, why do we have to assign a shape to every level?
By assigning a shape to every level, while connecting your BIM model to Reduzer, you will then be able to set a typology to every shape. This allows you to later compare your version with typology benchmarks.
Can I import different BIM models together?
There are two options and you can choose either one based on your requirement.
You can combine all your files in one BIM model, upload them to Speckle, and then import them together as a single file. In that case, you will have a single "Version", a single "Report" as well as single "Results".
If you want to have different reports for each BIM model and want to compare your buildings to one another, then you need to create different objects/buildings via our "Add New Object" and then import each building separately as a single version.
Product & component library
When adding an EPD, can we register A1, A4 & A5 instead of A1-A3?
The GWP value that we register when adding an EPD in Reduzer should include phase A1, A2, A3 only. We cannot register any other phase instead of A1, A2, & A3. A4 & A5 are calculated seperately in Reduzer, so combining these phases with A1-A3 values may introduce double calculation and an error.
How can I send an EPD request?
You can send us requests to add new EPDs in the global library through different channels but the most common method is to use our "Request new EPD" function (button).
Why do the GWP (A1-A3) values of carpet vary a lot?
The GWP (A1-A3) values of carpet varies a lot due to different reasons.
- Materials: Synthetic fibers, like nylon or polyester, generally have higher GWPs than natural fibers.
- Manufacturing: Energy use and emission source used in manufacturing significantly impact GWP.
- Recycled Content: Higher recycled content usually means lower GWP.
- Service Life: Even small GWP differences add up over a building's life, especially given carpets' relatively short lifespan.
Why are the service lives of door products in Reduzer different from the EPDs?
In general, we do not solely rely on the reference service life that is stated in the EPDs for two reasons.
One is that in the EPDs, the stated service life may refer to the most optimal use of the product or the most conservative value which may not be the case in real scenarios; in other words, the service life that is provided may be too high or too low.
For similar products you may find different service lives in different EPDs which makes them difficult to compare
So, at Reduzer we have set values for the service life of each subcategory which are derived from values provided by Sintef Byggforsk and DFØ buildings. These set values therefore allow easy comparison between different EPDs and are more unbiased values.
Activity library
What can I find in the activities library?
In the activities library we have activities related to Travel and Energy. Travel activities are relevant to phase B8 (transport in use) and Energy activities can be relevant to phases A5 (construction), B6 (operational energy use) and C1 (demolition) in a project.
Are energy emissions included in the total GWP value of projects?
Whether energy is included or not, that depends on the scheme that you have chosen. For example in Tek17, emissions from energy are not included but in FutureBuilt, energy is included in the calculation.
Why some of the energy use activity graphs are linear and some non-linear?
The linear graphs consider that the developments today are optimised to the maximum level and that there will be no further future development for that activity. The non-linear graphs show technological developments and they tend to belong to the FutureBuilt scheme.
How are the district heating entries calculated?
Couple of useful information:
We have used "https://www.fjernkontrollen.no" as the base for our calculation for district heatings in Norway.
For every place (sted), we have 2 entries based on the electricity mix type (Norwegian electricity (a constant yearly emission intensity is considered) or European mix + Norwegian electricity (a decline in the yearly emission intensity is considered until 2050 and then the yearly emission intensity is considered linear until 2080), and whether biogenic carbon is included or excluded. These criteria only makes a difference if the place has an energy source that uses electricity (for example: electric boiler) and/or an energy source that has biogenic content (for example: biogas).
The emissions you see for every district heating covers all the different sources that are used to create energy in that district heating facility.
How to add a district heating to a project?
You can add a district heating to your project by selecting the "add energy data" button and "add emission source". Then you have to select a typology for which you want to add the district heating and import the emissions source by selecting "Import emission". You can then choose "district heating" from the left ribbon and type the location of the district heating via the search field.
Reports & charts
How to paste tables from Reduzer into Norwegian Excel
- Paste the table from Reduzer
- Press Ctrl and then select "Bruk tekstimportveiviser"
- In the first window, click "Neste". Then uncheck "Mellomrom" and check "Tabulator".
Next, click "Avansert" and change the "Desimalskilletegn" to "."
How can I download a report for my project?
You can download a report for your project by selecting either the "report" button on the right side of your version or from the schemes list. And then selecting the "share" button to either download the report as a PDF file or share the link of your project (see the attached screenshots).
How to create my own charts and figures?
The current way in which customers can create their own charts and figures is by copying the results onto an Excel file and then creating charts based on their preferences.
Support & technical
How can I book a support meeting?
You can simply go to the "support" page from your dashboard and select "book a meeting". 
Why am I having language and translation issues?
If you are noticing language and translation related problems, make sure that your browser's auto-translation is not turned on as this can result in some strange translations. After that, it is recommended that you go to the side menu and select your preferred language in Reduzer (see the screenshot). Note that, we are currently working on translating everything in Reduzer from Norwegian to English and vice versa, so until this process is fully completed you may encounter some issues.
How can I access the Academy page?
Before reaching out to the support team, we recommend that you visit Reduzer's Academy page where you can find useful tips and information about how to get started.
You can access our Academy page, by selecting "Academy" on the dashboard panel and then selecting "Open Documentation".
