Overview of Upcoming Changes to the ICE Database

A message from Dr Craig Jones, original author of the ICE Database

The ICE Database remains a well-used embodied carbon database. However, obtaining funding for a free database has been a significant challenge over the last 15 years. This has resulted in infrequent updates, with the embodied carbon landscape moving more quickly than the ICE Database has been able to. It’s fair to say that the ICE Database is better used than maintained, and this needs to change.

We have finally accepted that the current approach of trying to raise funds to keep a free database up to date and well maintained isn’t working, where there is a six-figure funding gap between the cost of updating the data and the levels of funding raised so far. This isn’t sustainable and therefore changes are necessary.

It is likely that the ICE Database will move to a “freemium” business model. A free version will be maintained in line with our principles and core values – we want to ensure that the database continues to be well used and enables scalable carbon reductions – a free version fits well into this. However, some commercial users could expect to pay an annual licence fee from next year, particularly for commercial organisations to use in software, tools and platforms. We have yet to decide on the business model details and will engage with various stakeholders as we develop this further.

The ICE Database has been well-received, with over 3,000 unique organisations from around the world registering for commercial use, and more than 900 software and tools registered to use ICE v4.0 (since Dec 2025). It therefore deserves to be better maintained, which is why a freemium business model is being considered.

We are also conscious that parts of the ICE Database are well overdue for data renewal, which would be essential to update. We have therefore started work on a full update of the ICE Database, to launch around Q2 2026.

These changes to the business model have not yet been implemented, but they should be expected for 2026. However, there are several changes that come in for the launch of ICE v4.1 (which is out now). Including:

• The Machine-Readable ICE Database will now only be available through purchase from the Circular Ecology online store. Net proceeds will be used to maintain a free version of the ICE Database.
  1. This means the Machine-Readable format will no longer be included in the download packs for the ICE Database, even after registration.
  2. Registration for commercial use of the data is still necessary.
  3. ICE v2 data doesn’t appear in the Machine-Readable data format.
  4. Those on the ICE Database Supporter system will be eligible for a free copy.
• We have released a notice that all the ICE v2 data will be removed from the next ICE Database update. They remain in the “Summary” worksheet in the ICE Database v4.1, but they will be removed from future database updates.
  • The upcoming full update of the data in the ICE Database will provide updated values for many of these factors
• Registration for permission to use the ICE Database for non-educational applications has been overhauled. Licences are no longer issued for an organisation, which was difficult to administer. Going forward, there are now two non-educational licence types:
  • Individual Licence: A licence for an individual person to use for non-educational applications. It remains free to register for an Individual Licence and is much easier for us to maintain on an individual basis the annual renewals.
  • Tools and Integration Licence: A licence to use the data in software, tools, databases, and platforms. These are also free to register for ICE v4.1, but we are starting to encourage these users to make a contribution. The approval process for these is currently manual, rather than automatic.
• All new licences will be issued with a fixed expiry date of 30th June 2026 until we have developed the plans for the replacement business model. They will then move back to an annual renewal.

In summary, changes are in hand for the ICE Database. Circular Ecology remain committed to keeping a version of the ICE Database free and accessible, but the database does need to start generating appropriate income for the improvement and maintenance of the database and to plug the six-figure funding gap. We believe a freemium business model aligns well with this purpose.

We have yet to decide where to draw the line between commercial use of the free version and the users who would need to subscribe for a licence. We will also monitor uptake on the ICE Database Supporter System and sales of the Machine-Readable format. Educational (non-commercial) use remains free, with no plans to change that.

We plan to deliver a webinar before the end of this year to provide an overview of the main changes, plans for the ICE Database, and provide some insights into plans for a full update of the ICE Database, where we expect to launch a full database update in Q2 2026.

Yours sincerely,
Dr Craig Jones