British Sign Language Glossaries of Curriculum Terms

BSL Environmental Science Glossary - Embodied energy definition

Definition: Embodied energy is a calculation of the total amount of energy used to make things (like different materials). The embodied energy of metals is the energy used to extract them from the earth and includes the energy used in the drilling and mining process. For example, the embodied energy of aluminium is high because it has to be extracted from the earth which requires a great deal of effort compared to other materials like plywood, which has a much lower embodied energy. Many of the materials used in construction already have an embodied energy - as part of the construction process it's important to think carefully about the embodied energy of the materials that are to be used. Products can also have an embodied energy which depends on the energy used in the manufacturing process and the amount needed to transport them.