What Circular Ecology does

Circular Ecology is a privately held UK-based sustainability consultancy founded in 2014 and headquartered in Worcester, Worcestershire, operating with approximately 12 employees. The firm specializes in carbon footprinting, Life Cycle Assessment (LCA), and embodied carbon assessment for the built environment, delivering services across organisational carbon measurement (Scope 1, 2, and 3 verification), product carbon footprinting, Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs), and net zero carbon advisory for buildings. Its technology foundation centres on the ICE Database (Inventory of Carbon & Energy), an embodied carbon dataset for building materials that has been downloaded by more than 20,000 users worldwide, supplemented by proprietary online tools (Organisational Carbon Footprint Tool, Concrete Embodied Carbon Footprint Calculator, IC+ indicative carbon tool) and methodology aligned to ISO 14044, EN 15978:2011, GHG Protocol, and SBTi standards.

The business operates five revenue streams: consulting services for LCA, embodied carbon, EPD, and net zero projects; annual subscription video training courses on carbon footprinting, LCA, and embodied carbon; carbon offsetting and tree planting (1,000 trees per training subscriber, partners with Eden Reforestation Projects); EPD programme fees; and ICE Database access. Go-to-market is consultative sales for enterprise engagements combined with content-led demand generation through webinars, blog content, and an active social media presence (49.9k Twitter, 20k LinkedIn, 17.3k newsletter subscribers).

Circular Ecology primarily serves construction and building industry clients (architects, developers, contractors, and product manufacturers) seeking embodied carbon and whole life carbon assessments for green building certification (BREEAM, LEED, CEEQUAL), with secondary segments in corporate organisations pursuing Scope 3 and SBTi validation, and sustainability professionals purchasing training. Leadership is led by Managing Director Dr. Craig Jones, an academic-practitioner with published work in Energy Policy, alongside Director Stephen Allen and a delivery team experienced in LCA and Scope 3. Notable projects include the COP26 House in Glasgow (in partnership with Beyond Zero Homes and Roderick James Architects), which achieved a 59% embodied carbon reduction against a business-as-usual baseline.

Name

Circular Ecology

Legal name

Circular Ecology

Website

https://circularecology.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2014

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Circular Ecology is a UK-based sustainability consultancy specializing in carbon footprinting, Life Cycle Assessment, and embodied carbon measurement for construction and corporate clients, anchored by the ICE Database (20,000+ users) and subscription training courses.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Sustainability and Carbon Management Consulting

NAICS

Environmental Consulting Services (541620)

akta.pro primary industry

Product Sustainability & LCA/EPD (Eco-design, PCF) (EUAHAJAF)

akta.pro secondary industries

Circularity Consulting & Program Management (EPR, Design-for-Circularity, LCA) (EUAIANAH), Circular Economy & Resource Efficiency (BPADALAM)

Keywords

• Carbon footprint consulting
• Life cycle assessment
• Embodied carbon assessment
• Environmental product declarations
• Sustainability training courses

Headquarters

HQ city

Worcester, Worcestershire

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Consulting Services: Professional consulting engagements for carbon footprint assessments, LCA studies, embodied carbon assessments, Scope 3 footprinting, and net zero planning for organisations and construction projects.
2. Video Training Courses: Online video training packages providing 12-month access to courses on carbon footprinting, Life Cycle Assessment (LCA), and embodied carbon in construction. The company plants 1,000 trees for each new training course subscriber.
3. Carbon Offsetting and Tree Planting: Sale of carbon offsets (including Gold Standard and Verified Carbon Standard) and tree planting services, with trees planted through Eden Reforestation Projects.
4. EPD Programme: Fees for Environmental Product Declaration development, verification, and publication services.
5. ICE Database Access: The ICE Database for embodied carbon assessment, available for download and use by construction and sustainability professionals.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Circular Ecology is a sustainability consultancy that delivers carbon footprinting, Life Cycle Assessment (LCA), embodied carbon assessment, and Environmental Product Declaration (EPD) services to construction firms, corporations, and product manufacturers. It complements consulting engagements with subscription video training courses, online carbon calculators, and the widely used ICE Database, and integrates tree planting through Eden Reforestation Projects into every project and training subscription.

Product overview

Circular Ecology offers a comprehensive portfolio of sustainability assessment services and tools, centred on carbon footprinting, Life Cycle Assessment (LCA), and embodied carbon measurement. The core offering includes the ICE Database (Inventory of Carbon & Energy) for embodied carbon data, complemented by online tools (Organisational Carbon Footprint Tool, Concrete Embodied Carbon Calculator, IC+), video training courses (Carbon Footprint, Embodied Carbon, LCA), and consultancy services (verification, EPD Programme, organisational/Scope 3 footprints, Net Zero planning). The company also provides carbon offsetting through verified offsets and tree planting. Services span from assessment and measurement to training and offsetting, serving construction, manufacturing, and organisational clients.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• ICE Database (Inventory of Carbon & Energy) An embodied energy and carbon database for building materials providing emission factors and data for calculating carbon footprints of construction products. Downloaded by over 20,000 users worldwide and used by construction and sustainability professionals globally.
• Organisational Carbon Footprint Tool An online tool for calculating and managing organisational carbon footprints, enabling organisations to measure Scope 1, 2, and 3 emissions following GHG Protocol.
• Concrete Embodied Carbon Footprint Calculator A specialised calculator for determining the embodied carbon footprint of concrete materials in construction projects.
• IC+ (Indicative Carbon) tool An indicative carbon assessment tool that provides quick estimates of carbon impacts for preliminary analysis.
• Carbon Footprint Training Course Video-based training course covering carbon footprinting principles, methodologies, and practical applications for measuring emissions, delivered as a 12-month subscription.
• Embodied Carbon Training Course Video-based training course focused on embodied carbon assessment in construction, covering measurement methodologies and reduction strategies, delivered as a 12-month subscription.
• Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) Training Course Comprehensive video training course covering Life Cycle Assessment methodology, including module-by-module instruction on conducting LCAs for products and buildings, delivered as a 12-month subscription.
• EPD Programme Environmental Product Declaration programme providing verification, documentation, and publication services for product environmental declarations following ISO 14044 and EN 15804 standards, supporting manufacturers and green building certification requirements.
• Carbon Footprint Verification & Assurance Third-party verification and assurance services for carbon footprint calculations to ensure accuracy and credibility of reported emissions.
• Organisational Carbon Footprint Services Consultancy services for measuring and reporting organisational carbon footprints across Scope 1, 2, and 3 emissions following GHG Protocol standards.
• Scope 3 Carbon Footprint Services Specialised services for measuring and reporting Scope 3 value chain emissions, including supplier engagement and data quality improvement.
• Embodied Carbon Assessment Assessment services for measuring embodied carbon in buildings and construction projects, including whole life carbon analysis using RICS methodology based on EN 15978:2011.
• Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) Services Comprehensive LCA services analysing up to 20 environmental impact categories for products, buildings, and organisations, including BREEAM Mat01 LCA studies.
• Product Carbon Footprinting Services for calculating product carbon footprints including custom tool development and Environmental Product Declaration (EPD) preparation.
• Net Zero Carbon Buildings Services Services for achieving net zero carbon buildings through measurement, management, and mitigation of operational and embodied carbon emissions, including target setting and carbon reduction planning.
• Carbon Offsetting & Tree Planting Carbon offset services providing verified carbon offsets (Gold Standard and Verified Carbon Standard) and tree planting through Eden Reforestation Projects in Madagascar, Mozambique, and Nepal for net zero or carbon neutrality goals.
• Bespoke Carbon Libraries for the Built Environment Sector Custom carbon library development services for the built environment sector, creating bespoke emissions factors and data sets to support carbon estimating.

Quantifiable outcome

• 59% reduction in embodied carbon compared to business-as-usual baseline achieved for COP26 House project, meeting RIBA 2030 targets
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Eden Reforestation ProjectscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEden Reforestation Projects is Circular Ecology's tree planting partner. Trees are planted in Madagascar and Mozambique, focusing on mangrove trees which have particularly positive biodiversity impacts. Circular Ecology plants trees for every consultancy project completed and for every new training course subscriber, with milestones at 100,000 and 250,000 trees achieved.
• Beyond Zero HomescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCircular Ecology is a member of Beyond Zero Homes, a collaborative group that designed the COP26 House in Glasgow. Circular Ecology provides whole life carbon measurement using RICS methodology based on EN 15978:2011, assessing embodied and operational carbon across the building lifecycle. The project demonstrates low-carbon construction using timber-based materials.
• Roderick James ArchitectsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerArchitect of the COP26 House project who collaborated with Circular Ecology for embodied carbon assessment. Designed the house focusing on efficient use of products and timber-based materials with lower embodied carbon.
• FourfifteenminorGTM or Marketing PartnerProduced video and 360-degree tour content for the COP26 House project, showcasing Circular Ecology's work on the embodied carbon assessment.
• SRS Sustainable BusinessminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in the Sustainable Clothing Business Leaders' Round Table event held at RSA in London, focusing on measuring and reporting environmental performance in the clothing industry.
• LRS ConsultancyminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in the Sustainable Clothing Business Leaders' Round Table event focused on collaborative discussion on sustainability challenges and successes in the clothing sector.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Carbon Trust: UK-headquartered advisory specialising in carbon footprinting, verification, and net zero strategy. Competes with Circular Ecology on organisational footprinting and carbon verification, but offers a much broader service portfolio and larger delivery teams.
• WSP: Global engineering and sustainability consultancy with built-environment carbon, LCA, and net zero advisory practices. Competes for the same embodied carbon and whole life carbon consulting mandates, particularly on large construction projects.
• ERM (Environmental Resources Management): Large global environmental consultancy offering sustainability, LCA, and carbon services across industries. Competes on enterprise LCA and sustainability mandates where Circular Ecology is too small to bid alone.
• Ramboll: Engineering, design, and sustainability consultancy with built-environment LCA, embodied carbon, and whole life carbon practices. Competes on complex construction and infrastructure carbon mandates where Circular Ecology also operates.

Emerging players

• Watershed: Enterprise carbon accounting platform for Scope 1–3 measurement and reporting. Targets the same corporate organisational carbon footprint market that Circular Ecology addresses with its tools and consultancy.

Direct peers

• EcoAct: Climate consultancy focused on carbon strategy, footprinting, and net zero transformation. Competes directly with Circular Ecology's organisational carbon and Scope 3 advisory services for corporate clients.
• Anthesis Group: Global sustainability consultancy offering carbon footprinting, LCA, EPD support, and ESG strategy. Closely comparable in scope to Circular Ecology but with broader geographic reach and a larger consultancy delivery model.
• South Pole: Global climate consultancy offering carbon offsetting, Scope 3 footprinting, and net zero strategy. Overlaps directly with Circular Ecology's carbon offset, organisational footprint, and advisory offerings for corporate clients.
• One Click LCA: Software platform for Life Cycle Assessment and embodied carbon in construction. Direct competitor to Circular Ecology's ICE Database and LCA consulting, serving the same architects, developers, and contractors with cloud-based tools for EN 15978 and BREEAM compliance.
• Sphera: Enterprise LCA and carbon management software (formerly thinkstep/GaBi). Competes with Circular Ecology's consulting and tools across product LCA, EPD generation, and Scope 3 reporting for manufacturers and built-environment clients.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/circularecology
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/circular-ecology

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Circular Ecology