etool by Cerclos

Core Features

eTool is built around whole-life design: users model complete projects, identify hotspots, test alternatives and produce rating-scheme-ready reports, all on a single LCA engine that also powers Cerclos’ RapidLCA app. With that in mind, some of its main features are:

• Whole-life carbon assessment — Quantifies embodied and operational impacts from cradle-to-grave for buildings and infrastructure, supporting concept studies through to detailed design and deconstruction.

• Templates & data library — Extensive, customisable templates for construction elements, energy and water use, plus regionalised LCI datasets and EPDs to close data gaps and improve accuracy.

• Hotspot analysis & scenario optioneering — Built-in hotspot views, branching scenarios and bulk-swap tools let teams compare design strategies and quantify savings across 50+ indicators.

• Rating-scheme & standards alignment — Workflows and reports aligned with EN 15978, PAS 2080, ISO 14040/44 and multiple schemes including BREEAM, LEED, Green Star, ISC and Level(s).

• Integrations & BIM plugins — Revit plug-ins, BIM integration and CSV/Excel import streamline take-offs and keep LCA models synced with design data.

• Collaboration, QA & training — Multi-user plans, third-party design certification, online training and a large knowledge base help organisations standardise methods and upskill teams.

Closing Insights

eTool originated in Perth, Australia, where engineers Alex Bruce and Richard Haynes co-founded the company around 2010 after being asked to help a developer deliver a “zero-carbon” project. Realising they needed robust life cycle methods rather than simple checklists, they built an early tool that evolved into today’s eTool platform and associated consulting services. Over the following decade the software grew from local residential work into a globally used whole-life carbon solution for diverse building and infrastructure assets. A 2023 rebrand saw the company take the Cerclos name, with eTool as the core software product and RapidLCA positioned alongside it for fast, portfolio-scale housing assessments.

eTool’s distinctiveness lies in the combination of detailed, standards-aligned modelling and practical design workflows. Its advanced LCA engine underpins both building and infrastructure studies, with powerful template systems, regionalised data and rating-scheme-specific reports that reduce the burden of meeting major frameworks. High-profile users include HS2 in the UK, where eTool supports whole-life carbon management for one of the world’s largest rail projects, and a range of global engineering, developer and government clients.

For prospective users, eTool offers tiered subscription plans, from Starter to Hotseat, with limits on projects and collaboration features rather than stripped-down functionality, plus a 14-day free trial. Organisations can also draw on Cerclos’ Net Zero Innovation Centre for design verification, custom templates and co-authoring support. For teams seeking to embed whole-life carbon thinking into everyday design decisions and to document outcomes for stakeholders, eTool is a recognised option to consider.