IC+ Database

Core Features

The IC+ database provides the underlying emissions data for professional carbon assessments rather than functioning as a standalone life cycle assessment application. Its principal capabilities include:

• Embodied Carbon Factors: Provides more than 500 carbon factors covering construction materials and products, enabling users to calculate material-related greenhouse gas emissions in building and infrastructure assessments.

• Verified Environmental Data: Draws on published, third-party-verified environmental data, which Circular Ecology compiles and aggregates to produce representative embodied carbon values. The accompanying methodology explains how sources are selected, evaluated, and processed.

• Data Quality Assessment: Applies quality assurance procedures and a data quality scoring framework to individual data points. The database also documents limitations, helping users understand the reliability and appropriate application of published values.

• Material Classification and Data Interpretation: Organizes emissions factors into structured material categories, with material-specific commentary explaining relevant characteristics and considerations when selecting values for calculations.

• Compatibility with Existing ICE Applications: Retains much of the ICE Database's established structure and categorization, supporting migration from earlier ICE datasets into professional spreadsheets, carbon calculators, and assessment models.

• Commercial Data Integration: Supports licensed use in embodied carbon calculations, consultancy reports, internal business models, and third-party software platforms. Licensing arrangements account for users accessing the underlying data directly or through integrated applications, including APIs.

Closing Insights

IC+ represents a significant change in Circular Ecology's approach to distributing embodied carbon data. Developed under the direction of Dr Craig Jones, the original ICE Database has been used by professionals worldwide for more than two decades. In 2026, Circular Ecology introduced IC+ as its commercial successor, while restricting the free ICE Database to educational and reference purposes from 1 October. IC+ version 1.0.1 is now available, and the company published its methodology report in October 2026.

IC+ uses a commercial licensing model based on the number of authorized users and intended applications. An initial indicative price of £800 for one user over 12 months was announced, with discounts available for larger user groups and eligible organizations. Software developers and other prospective users should contact Circular Ecology to confirm current pricing, permitted integrations, and licensing conditions.