Carbon you can count on!
What if you didn’t have to rely on claims, pledges, or targets - because you had the data?
In construction, we talk a lot about carbon. Operational. Embodied. Net zero this, low carbon that. But too often, carbon is treated as a promise—something we intend to reduce, hope to measure, aim to improve on the next project.
At Auburn Group, we believe it should be simpler than that.
So when we delivered Greatfields Primary School in Barking & Dagenham—a full three-form-entry school built using a panelised offsite system—we didn’t just talk about carbon. We had it independently assessed. And the results speak volumes.
Measured, Not Marketed
Ridge & Partners LLP conducted a full embodied carbon assessment of the school, commissioned by OSKOP Alliance. The goal? To test if the claims made about offsite, panelised systems could hold up to independent scrutiny.
Here’s what was verified:
Embodied carbon (superstructure and façade): 222 kgCO₂e/m²
Total embodied impact: 883 kgCO₂e/m²
- Delivered at the lower end of total embodied carbon benchmarks for education buildings.
(the RIBA target for total buildings is ~750–1050 kgCO₂e/m² depending on type)Carbon sequestered over the building’s lifetime: ~325 tCO₂e
- Equivalent to driving a car 815,000 miles
To put that into context, Greatfields comfortably outperforms the UK Net Zero Carbon Building Standard for 2025—and meets RIBA 2030 superstructure targets today.
A Model That Holds
These results weren’t a happy accident or a one-off. They’re the product of:
Material-conscious design from day one
A closed-panel system using timber and natural insulation
Fire-tested, performance-rated components
A team willing to prioritise evidence over assumption
Auburn didn’t build Greatfields hoping it would be low carbon.
We built it knowing exactly where it would land—and having it confirmed externally.
So Why Isn’t This the Norm?
In truth, parts of the industry are already building this way. Great teams. Smart systems. Solid outcomes. What’s been missing is the data.
Not because it isn’t achievable—but because commissioning full, independent carbon assessments takes time, resource, and intent. For many, it simply doesn’t make it onto the to-do list. But without that step, powerful outcomes go unmeasured—and unrecognised.
That’s what makes Greatfields different.
This isn’t about claiming something new. It’s about proving something many have been doing quietly for years. And it’s about showing clients and policymakers that offsite, low-carbon delivery isn’t risky, or radical. It’s here. It works. And it can be repeated.
→ See the bigger picture in: A Proven Way to Build
If you’re serious about low carbon, start with certainty
Auburn’s approach isn’t built on slogans or hope—it’s built on process, product knowledge, and verified outcomes. If you’re looking for a partner who can demonstrate carbon reduction in action—not in theory—we’d love to talk.
