HENN Has Launched Free CarbonBudget Tool
The digital software helps architects track building emissions against Paris Agreement targets.
Updated on Oct. 7, 2026 in Remote Work
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Architecture firm HENN has launched CarbonBudget, a free digital tool designed to calculate project-specific CO2 emissions for buildings. The software provides architects and policymakers with actionable data to ensure construction projects align with global warming limits.
Why it matters
The tool translates abstract international climate goals into concrete metrics for individual building projects. It aims to address the construction industry's significant contribution to global carbon emissions by providing clear boundaries for sustainable design.
The construction industry currently accounts for one-third of global CO2 emissions. The tool calculates if building projects remain within the 1.5°C Paris Agreement warming target using localized data inputs.
The players
HENN
HENN is an architecture and design firm that developed the CarbonBudget software.
German Federal Environment Agency
This government institution provides the figures used by the tool to calculate societal follow-on costs of emissions.
Science Based Targets initiative
This organization provides emissions data integrated into the CarbonBudget software.
The details
Users input specific project parameters, including location, completion year, and building area, to generate a carbon budget. The software integrates data from the Carbon Risk Real Estate Monitor and the Science Based Targets initiative, while also calculating potential societal follow-on costs using figures from the German Federal Environment Agency.
Timeline
HENN launched the CarbonBudget tool on October 7, 2026.
Market Landscape
This release reflects a broader industry shift toward digital accountability as regulatory pressure mounts on the construction sector. By providing a free, standardized framework, the tool positions its creators at the center of a growing movement toward measurable environmental compliance.
Architects, designers, and urban planners can now access standardized emissions data without incurring licensing fees. This tool allows project leads to incorporate climate-impact analysis into their planning phases at no additional cost to their firm.
The takeaway
Designers and policymakers can utilize this software to integrate environmental impact analysis into the early stages of building development. By converting complex climate goals into specific local building data, the tool simplifies the path toward greener urban infrastructure.
Further reading
For more on industry-wide environmental initiatives, visit Remote Work.
More information
Access the software or view technical requirements on the CarbonBudget tool access.
Source note: This article includes information reported by ArchDaily.
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Should building projects be required to report and limit their total CO2 emissions?
