The Energy Performance of Buildings Directive, revised in 2024, takes first steps towards the consideration of buildings’ life-cycle global warming potential.
A building’s global warming potential indicates its contribution to greenhouse gas emissions during its whole life-cycle.
This includes
- the production and transport of construction products and construction-site activities
- the use of energy in the building and the replacement of construction products
- demolition, transport and management of waste materials and their reuse, recycling and final disposal
What emissions does it cover?
The life-cycle global warming potential covers both
- operational emissions – due to the energy consumed for the building’s operation, notably heating and cooling
- embodied emissions – associated with the production, transport, and life-cycle of materials used for construction and maintenance, demolition and waste management
New construction in the EU accounts for 18% of the total whole life-cycle emissions from the building stock, even though it only represents 1% of the total floor area. Construction and demolition waste represents 40% of the waste generated in the EU.
What buildings fall under these rules?
The revised directive requires that the life-cycle global warming potential is calculated and disclosed in the energy performance certificate for all new buildings with a floor area larger than 1 000 m² from 2028. This requirement will extend to all new buildings as of 2030.
The calculation – carried out by building designers or other building professionals - will be based on national methodologies, which must respect the Union framework rules.
By 2027, all EU countries will develop a roadmap for the introduction of limit values for the life-cycle global warming potential of all new buildings from 2030.
Calculating the life-cycle global warming potential of buildings incentivises construction companies and developers to use low-carbon construction materials, including clean steel and cement, which are produced with much lower greenhouse gas emissions than conventional methods, especially by reducing or eliminating fossil fuel use and cutting CO₂ released during production.
It will also encourage carbon storage in buildings, for example through construction with wood, as trees absorb carbon from the atmosphere for decades before their wood is used as construction material.
The revised directive will drive demand for low-carbon materials and construction methods, thereby fostering industrial innovation and boosting European competitiveness.
- January 2030
All new buildings → life-cycle GWP is calculated and disclosed in the energy performance certificate.
- January 2028
New buildings with over 1 000 m2 of useful floor area → life-cycle GWP is calculated and disclosed in the energy performance certificate.
- January 2027
EU countries publish and notify to the Commission a roadmap on the introduction of limit values and targets.
- May 2026
Entry into force of delegated act setting out a Union framework for the national calculation of life-cycle GWP.
- May 2024
Publication of the revised Energy Performance of Buildings Directive in the Official Journal of the EU and entry into force 20 days later.
Related links
- Energy Performance of Buildings Directive
- The Life Cycle Global Warming Potential in the EPBD | BUILD UP
- Background data collection and life cycle assessment for construction and demolition waste (CDW) management (JRC Publications Repository )
- News: Commission encourages low-carbon construction materials with calculation framework for life-cycle global warming potential (16 December 2025)