On 27 March, the European Commission published a working document calling for the carbon footprint of buildings to be fully integrated throughout their life cycle to achieve the EU’s climate objectives.
The text highlights that the construction sector accounts for a significant proportion of greenhouse gas emissions in Europe, due both to the energy consumption of buildings and the materials used in their construction.
While emissions linked to operations remain the dominant factor, the Commission warns of the growing importance of “embodied carbon”, resulting from the manufacture of materials and construction site activities.
According to the Commission, these emissions already account for 27% of the annual emissions from Europe’s building stock. New construction, which accounts for only around 1% of the building stock each year, is responsible for nearly 18% of the sector’s total emissions.
The Commission therefore calls for priority to be given to the renovation, repurposing and conversion of existing buildings, in particular by converting vacant office buildings into affordable housing. It encourages more intensive use of existing buildings and limits the demand for new building space, while emphasising the need to improve energy and material efficiency. The use of low-carbon, recycled or bio-sourced materials has been identified as a key driver. The Energy Performance of Buildings Directive now requires the calculation and declaration of embodied carbon for new buildings.
Finally, the Commission calls for measures to stimulate innovation, the development of markets for circular materials and the emergence of sustainable business models.
Link to the report: https://aeur.eu/f/lev (Original version in French by Lionel Changeur)