European construction leaders urge EU to prioritise decarbonisation

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Building sector leaders call for EU to prioritise decarbonising the built environment.

The World Green Building Council (WorldGBC) has convened a coalition of over 60 construction sector leaders to call on the European Commission to support the full decarbonisation of the built environment through ambitious policies.

The group, which represents over 4,500 organisations across the building sector value chain, signed a letter this week (10.6.21) requesting that the commission ensure the review of key legislative files, such as the Energy Performance of Buildings directive (EPBD) will support a whole life carbon (WLC) approach.

The open letter is part of WorldGBC’s #BuildingLife project, which was launched in December involving ten national Green Building Councils. The project, funded by the European Climate Foundation, IKEA Foundation and Laudes Foundation, is working with industry stakeholders to develop an EU policy whole life carbon roadmap to outline the appropriate routes to implement a WLC approach into the EU policy framework. This process is also being replicated at the national level in ten European countries.

Embodied carbon – emitted by the construction, demolition and the wider supply chain of a building – accounts for an estimated 10-20% of the EU’s CO2 building footprint. As outlined in the letter, the signatories consider it crucial for European policy to tackle these emissions in conjunction with operational emissions – produced when buildings are in use – in order to attain climate neutrality by 2050 under the aims of the EU Green Deal.

Cristina Gamboa, CEO of the World Green Building Council, said: “This open letter shows a clear consensus across Europe’s building sector – EU policy must go further to deliver a fully decarbonised and circular built environment. As COP26 draws closer, there is a critical urgency for policymakers to embrace a whole life carbon approach to buildings – one which encompasses not only operational emissions but embodied carbon as well.

“#BuildingLife is showing the way by developing a suite of roadmaps for the EU and 10 European countries, through radical collaboration across industry leaders, policymakers and experts. WorldGBC is inviting senior leaders from the entire value chain to join our campaign calling for a lifecycle approach to built environment policy and become a #BuildingLife ambassador today.”

The actions for the European Commission, set out in the letter are:

  • Recognise the full potential of the building sector in delivering a climate neutral Europe.
  • Ensure that the review of key legislative files, including the Energy Performance of Buildings Directive (EPBD), support a Whole Life Carbon (WLC) approach in addition to accelerating renovation, and greater accountability for achieved performance.
  • Recognise the potential of Level(s) – the EU’s framework for sustainable buildings – to deliver a harmonised implementation of WLC policy, building circularity and adaptability analysis.
  • Deliver the EU Strategy for a Sustainable Built Environment to ensure coherence across policies and coordinate the transition to a sustainable built environment in the EU.
  • Work with the committed network of #BuildingLife stakeholders to develop and deliver these transformative policies.

Click here to find out more about the #BuildingLife project and how to sign up.