Search of Embodied Energy results very conflicting information,
does anyone know where I can obtain the correct information concurrent with the information on the ARE?
(i.e. some say aluminum is very low, others say very high...)

i am confused as well!
does aluminum have more embodied energy or does concrete??

In a post from about a year ago, Michael Ermann (the Amber Book guy) provided some tips on comparing the embodied energy in different materials - see the link below. He has a pretty good handle on what NCARB is looking for.

viewtopic.php?f=9&t=47183&p=161362&hilit=embodied#p161362

thanks Demeter,
Hopefully they won't ask to compare materials of different family, since some sources say aluminum is way more than concrete, others say the other way around. wildly different answers...