Refurbishment
Start with what can stay
Map the existing building. Explore retaining the frame, reusing components or changing individual layers before treating replacement as the default.
For architects designing what comes next
Every material is a decision.
See what to keep, what to change, and what it means for embodied carbon. Elementa connects your building, its materials and your next design move.
Import an IFC or DXF file, or sketch the building in the configurator if you have no file. The app is currently in English.
Seven systems
- Structure
- Facade
- Roof
- Windows and doors
- Interior walls
- Floors
- Ceiling
From a building model to a material strategy
A connected workflow for the questions that come before a specification is settled.
Import a model, or sketch an early concept if you have no file. Elementa sorts the building into seven systems, from structure to finishes.
Suggested material matches, missing quantities and assumptions wait for your review. Correct the layer behind the result.
Build scenarios, compare them with the baseline and carry your material strategy into a report.
Steps advance on their own until you pick one.
Courtyard retrofitExample project · DefineReviewCompare
Building systems
- Structure
- Facade
- Roof
- Windows and doors
- Interior walls
- Floors
- Ceiling
A shared structure for your model, materials and report.
Needs review · 3
- Facade insulationQuantity needs review
- Ground-floor slabMaterial match needs review
- Window framesSource change to resolve
Open a layer, check the source, confirm the material.
Baseline against an alternative
| Building system | Baseline | Alternative |
|---|---|---|
| Structure | Existing frame | Retain |
| Facade | Existing insulation | Replace |
| Interior walls | Existing partitions | Reuse |
Compare indicative embodied carbon with the assumptions in view.
Refurbishment or new build
Whether you’re working with an existing building or a blank site, give material choices a place in the design conversation.
New build
Test materials on the massing model
Turn an early massing model into indicative quantities. Explore material alternatives while the structure and envelope are still open to change.
Who is Elementa for?
For the people deciding how a building is kept, changed or specified.
A · Design teams
Architects, engineers and refurbishment consultants
Review model quantities, inspect material assumptions and compare design options with your project team.
B · Owners
Asset owners and public building owners
Explore what to retain, reuse or replace in one building, with the assumptions and missing information visible.
C · Developers
Project developers and investors
Compare early project scenarios and use a traceable material report to support the next design conversation.
Confirmed, estimated and missing never look alike
Early decisions need useful estimates and a clear view of their limits. Elementa keeps that distinction visible.
Read: pre-assessment vs certified LCA- Reviewable inputs
- Suggested matches and estimated quantities remain open to correction. The review queue puts unresolved inputs in front of you.
- Visible data quality
- See which layers have estimates and where evidence is missing. An unknown quantity should never look like zero impact.
- A useful next step
- Export your material register and project report to support the next conversation with your project team.
Elementa supports early material decisions. Its estimates do not replace a certified life-cycle assessment or a compliance submission. Product-specific EPD integration is still in development.
Common questions
Do I need a finished BIM model?
No. Import an IFC or DXF file if you have one. Without a file, sketch a concept in the configurator or enter elements manually. The quality of an estimate depends on the geometry, materials and quantities available.
Does an import identify every material?
An import can suggest matches from the source information. You still review uncertain matches, missing quantities and assumptions. Geometry alone does not establish a complete material specification.
Can I use this for a certified assessment?
Elementa is a pre-assessment material intelligence workspace. Use it to explore strategies and prepare inputs; formal assessment requires an agreed methodology, suitable datasets and professional review.
Can I use Elementa now?
Yes. Create an account to start a project, or book a demo to walk through the workflow. The application is currently in English.
Start with the building on your desk
A concept, an IFC model or an existing building you want to keep is enough to begin.