Emission database for infrastructure construction
Emissions data for construction products, processes, and services
The emissions database for infrastructure construction provides information on the adverse and beneficial climate impacts of infrastructure construction. The service contains data on more than 1,000 products and services. The building products covered include a wide range of concrete products, steel and other metal products, wood products, natural stone products and aggregates, plastic products and pipes, asphalt products, paints, fuels and blasting products, landscaping products, and recycled materials. Services include, for example, energy services, transportation, and construction site activities.
The service contains average data for the most common and typical building products, selected to represent Finnish infrastructure construction. The aim is to cover the most important products, services and processes from the perspective of emissions calculations; therefore, not every possible product is included in the database. The service does not contain information on individual commercial products. In addition to product- and service-specific emissions data, the service includes background studies.
The data are based on publicly available sources, such as environmental product declarations (EPDs) for building products, studies and research. These sources have been compared and assessed, and average values have been calculated in collaboration with experts in infrastructure construction. The database is updated regularly to reflect increasingly detailed information and changes in the operating environment, as products and services continue to evolve.
The Finnish Environment Institute is responsible for the development and maintenance of the service on behalf of the Finnish Transport Infrastructure Agency.
Information provided by the service:
- Carbon footprint of construction products
- Recycled material content of construction products
- Waste factors of construction products on-site
- Emission data of transportation
- Emission data of construction machinery
- Emission data of blasting operations
- Emission data of fuels
- Emission data of work performances
The database serves infrastructure construction experts
The emissions database for infrastructure construction primarily serves professionals in the construction sector, but the information is useful to anyone interested in the climate impacts of infrastructure construction. The service has already been integrated into several emissions calculation tools. Close collaboration with construction sector professionals has been an integral part of the service’s development since before it was launched in 2022. The service is free of charge for everyone.
Low-carbon assessment in infrastructure construction is evolving
The Finnish Transport Infrastructure Agency (Väylävirasto) published a low-carbon assessment method for infrastructure construction in 2023. The infrastructure emissions database enables the assessment of climate impacts of infrastructure projects in a comparable manner, in accordance with the assessment method. Emissions calculations for infrastructure projects remain voluntary for now. Both the methodology and the emissions database will continue to be developed based on industry needs and evolving data.
Content and methods
More information on the methods and development of the emissions database for infrastructure construction:
- Syke. (2025.) Infrastructure construction emissions database methodology. (CO2data.fi)
- Häkkinen, T., Pesu, J., Siiskonen, S-T & Vares, S. (2022). Infrarakentamisen kansallinen päästötietokantahanke. Infrarakentamista palvelevan päästötiedon saatavuus, arviointimenetelmät ja tietokannan kokoamisen suunnitelma. Väyläviraston julkaisuja 11/2022. (In Finnish) (doria.fi)
Database development and updates
The CO2data service is regularly developed and updated in response to users’ needs. You can subscribe to receive information about new updates by email. The CO2data service also provides access to the service’s change history.
Feedback and questions
You can send feedback and questions via email to CO2data(at)syke.fi. Alternatively, you can submit your feedback using the feedback form.