Preoptima
Preoptima is a web-based whole-life carbon platform for buildings that combines early design optioneering with automated quantity takeoff so teams can compare embodied carbon before commitments harden.
Preoptima sells CONCEPT for project teams and PACER for planning authorities. CONCEPT is described as a web app and API for real-time whole-life carbon assessments and carbon optioneering from early design, using generative workflows and automated material takeoff to cut manual data entry (Preoptima, CONCEPT product page). A published case study on the same site attributes roughly 2,221 tonnes of embodied carbon avoided on a conceptual design project where CONCEPT was used to compare structural systems (Preoptima, Group14 Engineering case study).
PACER targets local planning teams that must review whole-life carbon submissions with limited specialist staff. The vendor positions it as a platform to automate review steps, run KPI checks, and collect structured data for policy tracking, developed with Westminster City Council and support from Innovate UK (Preoptima, PACER product page). The same PACER page states a projected savings of thousands of tonnes of CO2e per year for Westminster alone, framed as an illustrative policy impact figure rather than a measured result.
CONCEPT is positioned for architects, developers, consultants, and portfolio managers who need repeatable carbon comparisons across options. PACER is aimed at officers who must keep reviews consistent when regulations move quickly and teams are stretched.
The public site invites users to try CONCEPT for free and routes PACER interest through workshops or email for early adopter programs, so commercial terms are not fully listed on the marketing pages (Preoptima, homepage and PACER page).
Specifications
Pricing
Platforms
Used for
Used by
Tasks
Pros and cons
Pros
- Targets both design teams and public-sector reviewers with paired CONCEPT and PACER storylines
- Published case study with a large tonnes-of-CO2e figure for early-stage structural comparisons
- Web delivery lowers install friction for distributed teams
Cons
- Public pricing for enterprise or authority deployments is mostly gated behind contact flows
- Feature depth per jurisdiction depends on how local carbon rules are encoded in the product
- Heavy reliance on cloud access for workshops and live assessments
Key features
Whole-life carbon focus: Models embodied and operational carbon threads for buildings with emphasis on early-stage decisions (Preoptima, CONCEPT page).
Optioneering in CONCEPT: Generate and compare design scenarios with automated quantities instead of rebuilding models by hand for each iteration (Preoptima, CONCEPT page).
OBJ and CAD handoff: Upload OBJ geometry from common CAD tools to keep assessments tied to your preferred modeling stack (Preoptima, CONCEPT page).
PACER for authorities: Central intake and validation workflows aimed at planning teams reviewing WLCAs in applications (Preoptima, PACER page).
Policy alignment: Messaging references evolving UK-style building regulations and local carbon policies (Preoptima, PACER page).
Partnerships: Westminster City Council and Innovate UK appear as named collaborators on PACER materials (Preoptima, PACER page).
Pricing
CONCEPT (free entry tier as advertised)
Contact sales
Homepage invites users to try CONCEPT for free; verify current limits and paid tiers on preoptima.com.
PACER for planning authorities
Contact sales
Early adopter and enterprise pricing is not listed publicly; contact Preoptima for authority deployments.
Frequently asked questions
What is Preoptima CONCEPT used for?
CONCEPT is Preoptima???s web application and API for real-time whole-life carbon assessments and carbon optioneering during early design. Marketing pages describe automated quantity takeoff, generative design helpers, and OBJ uploads so teams can iterate options without rebuilding models manually for each carbon run (Preoptima, CONCEPT product page).
What is Preoptima PACER?
PACER is aimed at local planning authorities that need to evaluate whole-life carbon assessments submitted with planning applications. The site describes automated review workflows, KPI evaluation, and data collection to support policy enforcement, co-developed with Westminster City Council (Preoptima, PACER product page).
Can Preoptima import geometry from CAD tools?
CONCEPT documentation on the vendor site references OBJ uploads from CAD tools and simple geometry generation inside the platform so assessments can start before a detailed BIM is finished. Check the latest import list on Preoptima???s pages for your file types.
Is there public pricing for Preoptima?
The homepage promotes a free entry point for CONCEPT, while PACER and enterprise scopes route through workshops, email, or contact forms. Exact annual fees are not published on the pages reviewed here, so quote pricing with Preoptima before budgeting.
Does Preoptima only apply to United Kingdom projects?
Much of the PACER narrative references UK local authorities and UK policy collaborators. CONCEPT is framed more broadly for international design teams, but you should confirm regional methodology support and regulatory templates for your country directly with Preoptima.
How does Preoptima compare with spreadsheet-based carbon calculators?
The vendor stresses automation of quantities, generative optioneering, and reviewer workflows instead of static templates. Whether that replaces spreadsheets for your firm depends on your modeling stack, reporting rules, and how much you value linked geometry updates.