This tracker monitors the policy recommendations from the #BuildingLife EU Policy Whole Life Carbon Roadmap. It examines how EU policymakers are progressing with implementing the recommendations into the EU policy framework, across the four key policy routes:
– Building Regulations
– Waste and Circularity
– Sustainable Procurement
– Sustainable Finance
It will be updated consistently to reflect current events and policy proposals.
WorldGBC recommendation:
EC should outline mandatory MEPS and a timeline for their achievement in line with net zero emissions by 2050.
Current status:
2024 revision of the Energy Performance of Buildings Directive (EPBD)
Sets out renovation requirements for residential and non-residential buildings.
For non-residential buildings these take the form of mandatory MEPS, while Member States should also should establish national trajectories for the progressive renovation of the national residential building stock.
These measures are set with the over-arching aim that existing buildings should be Zero Emission Building (ZEB) standard by 2050.
WorldGBC recommendation:
Revise MEPS threshold to ensure alignment with decarbonisation trajectory.
Current status:
Non-residential buildings
By 2030: Member States must renovate the 16% worst performing section of the non-residential stock.
Compliance with these MEPS by individual buildings is to be verified by checking EPCs or other means defined by Member States.
Residential buildings
By 2030: Member States must ensure that the average primary energy use of the entire residential building stock decreases by at least 16% compared to 2020.
Member States have the flexibility to decide what tools are used to achieve these renovation targets, such as MEPS, technical assistance and financial support measures.
WorldGBC recommendation:
Revise MEPS threshold to ensure alignment with decarbonisation trajectory.
Current status:
While there are further specific renovation targets set for 2033 and 2035 for non-residential and residential buildings respectively, thereafter the text leaves a lot to national interpretation.
Non-residential buildings
By 2033: Member States must renovate the 26% worst performing section of the non-residential stock.
By 2040: Further percentage segments of the non-residential stock, identified against the 2020 baseline, will need to be renovated, in line with the transformation of the national non-residential building stock into ZEB by 2050.
Residential buildings
Member States shall ensure that the average primary energy use of the entire residential building stock:
By 2035: decreases by at least 20-22% compared to 2020 by 2035.
By 2040: is equivalent to or lower than the nationally determined value, in line with the gradual transformation of the residential building stock into ZEB by 2050.
WorldGBC recommendation:
Entire building stock will be net zero WLC (whole life carbon).
Current status:
The Commission has set the long-term goal of a decarbonised building stock and that existing buildings should be ZEB standard by 2050.
However, while Member States are required to set future MEPS from 2040, the text leaves a lot to national interpretation.
WorldGBC recommendation:
Indicate a clear process for updating EPCs to help harmonise and validate performance to increase reliability and improve asset rating calculation with measured building performance.
Mandate that:
Current status:
2024 revision of the EPBD
This revision outlines a process to facilitate greater harmonisation of EPCs, including a new template with which Member States must comply.
WorldGBC recommendation:
By 2025: EPCs must report on WLC for new, public and larger non-residential buildings.
Current status:
By May 2026:
As of 2028: WLC disclosed through EPC for all new buildings with a useful floor area larger than 1,000m2.
As of 2030: WLC disclosed through EPC for all new buildings.
However, there is a quite a large exemption since Member States that have rescaled their energy performance classes on or after 1 January 2019 and before 28 May 2024, may postpone the rescaling of their energy performance classes until 31 December 2029.
No data available
No data available
WorldGBC recommendation:
Member States to develop national climate action roadmaps by 2024 in line with EU climate objectives, going beyond long-term renovation strategies and covering all buildings.
National climate action roadmaps must include milestones to ensure all buildings are net zero WLC by 2050.
Individual climate action roadmaps for all buildings; these must articulate how MEPS can contribute to climate neutrality.
Current status:
2024 revision of the EPBD
Introduces National Building Renovation Plans (NBRP) which replace long term renovation strategies. Member States must submit them every five years and they should include (see full list in EPBD Annex II):
However, life cycle GWP measures are only listed as optional.
WorldGBC recommendation:
By 2025:
By 2028:
Member States must update their roadmaps and extend their scope to cover WLC for existing buildings and provide evidence that their trajectory is compatible with the 2030 and 2050 objectives.
By 2030:
Member States must update their roadmaps and prove their trajectory is compatible with the 2030 and 2050 EU climate objectives; if they are not, key indicators and milestones should be reviewed and adapted.
Current status:
The NBRPs must be closely linked to integrated National Energy and Climate Plans (NECP) and the contribution of the NBRPs to national and Union climate goals.
End of 2025: Draft of NBRPs submitted
End of 2026: NBRPs submitted
As of 2028: Draft of second NBRPs submitted with next draft NECP
As of 2029: Second NBRPs submitted with NECPs
Current status:
NBRPs will continue to be submitted with NECPs on a five-year cycle:
As of 2033: Draft of third NBRPs submitted with next draft NECP
As of 2034: Third NBRPs submitted with NECPs Continues on a five-year cycle.
Continues on a five-year cycle.
WorldGBC recommendation:
Entire building stock will be net zero WLC.
Current status:
NBRPs will continue to be submitted with NECPs on a five year cycle:
By 2050: Member States achieve the renovation of the national stock of residential and non-residential buildings, both public and private, into a highly energy-efficient and decarbonised building stock with the objective to transform existing buildings into zero-emission buildings.
WorldGBC recommendation:
Signal that Member States must develop open-source databases on calculated and measured energy performance and GHG emissions of building stock to contribute to an EU wide database or network of databases.
Current status:
2024 revision of the EPBD
Each Member State must set up a national database for the energy performance of buildings which allows data to be gathered on the energy performance of individual buildings and on the overall energy performance of the national building stock.
Databases should allow the collection of data from Energy Performance Certificates, inspections, the renovation passport, the smart readiness indicator and the calculated or metered energy consumption of the buildings covered.
Data may also be gathered and stored on operational, embodied and WLC emissions.
Member States should make publicly available information on share of buildings covered by EPCs and aggregated/anonymised data on the energy performance, including the energy consumption, and, where available, WLC of the buildings covered.
At least once per year, Member States shall ensure the transfer of the information in the national database to the EU Building Stock Observatory.
WorldGBC recommendation:
By 2025: EU should develop an open-source database or network of databases that can be linked to Member State databases and provide guidance on how to align them.
By 2026: Member States should have launched open-source databases linked to the EU-wide database.
By 2030: Member States are using data in Individual Climate Action Roadmaps to increase reliability of building-level databases (linked to EU database).
Current status:
Member States must continue to transfer data from their national databases to the EU Building Stock Observatory at least once per year.
By 30 June 2025: The Commission shall adopt the first implementing act to establish common templates for the transfer of information from national databases to the EU Building Stock Observatory.
Current status:
Member States must continue to transfer data from their national databases to the EU Building Stock Observatory at least once per year.
WorldGBC recommendation:
Entire building stock will be net zero WLC.
Current status:
Member States must continue to transfer data from their national databases to the EU Building Stock Observatory at least once per year.
WorldGBC recommendation:
Update EPBD to facilitate a pan-European approach – based on Level(s) – for reporting operational and embodied carbon metrics.
Operational carbon metrics should be based on high-quality asset ratings and in-use verified energy consumption data, if available, or on realistic estimates.
Embodied carbon metrics can be based on bills of materials and measured or estimated energy consumption for relevant stages of the life cycle (e.g. construction, transportation and demolition).
Emission factors for operational and embodied carbon assessments should be robust and high quality, ideally based on a recognised national database.
EPBD requires Member States to assess and disclose information on WLC metrics for all new constructions and major renovation.
Current status:
2024 revision of the EPBD
Dates set for mandatory WLC reporting and national limit values and targets.
WLC reporting based on EN 15978 and scope of building elements based on Level(s) framework indicator 1.2.
WLC should be communicated as a numeric indicator for each life cycle stage expressed as kgCO2e/m2.y (of useful floor area), averaged for one year of a reference study period of 50 years.
When available, life cycle data regarding specific construction products calculated in accordance with the revised Construction Products Regulation (CPR) shall be used.
WorldGBC recommendation:
By 2026:
By 2030:
Current status:
By end of 2025: Commission will adopt a Delegated Act to establish minimum requirements for national WLC reporting methodologies.
By start of 2027: Member States must produce national life-cycle GWP (Global Warming Potential) roadmaps including targets and limit values for new buildings from 2030. Roadmaps should incorporate how the limit values can be tightened over time, and how they might differ between climatic zones and building typologies.
As of 2028: Mandatory WLC reporting (life cycle GWP) for all new buildings with a useful floor area larger than 1,000 m2.
As of 2030:
WorldGBC recommendation:
Embodied and operational carbon limits must be continually reviewed and lowered in line with 2050 WLC Roadmap and national goals.
WorldGBC recommendation:
Entire building stock will be net zero WLC.
WorldGBC recommendation:
Provide guidance to Member States and regional authorities for setting and implementing circularity requirements in building regulations that must increase over time to drive maximum resource efficiency by 2050.
Establish a timeline for introducing these requirements into EPBD, aligned with timeline for introducing WLC targets.
Current status:
2024 revision of the EPBD contains little reference to circularity measures, though the guidance for Member States creating National Building Renovation Plans does include the requirement to set out “policies and measures with regard to … prevention and high-quality treatment of construction and demolition waste in accordance with Directive 2008/98/EC, in particular as regards the waste hierarchy, and the objectives of the circular economy”.
No timeline has been introduced for any binding requirements to be introduced into the EPBD.
WorldGBC recommendation:
By 2026: Evaluate progress on integration of circularity requirements in the EPBD and Renovation Wave and potential of mandatory minimum requirement at building level to drive progress and help to reduce WLC.
By 2030: Tighten circularity requirements in EPBD to increase share of circular products in construction projects and of reuse of in-situ building elements.
Current status:
There is no indication that the Commission plans to introduce binding circularity targets into the EPBD at present.
WorldGBC recommendation:
Further tightening of circularity requirements to increase share of circular products in construction projects and of reuse of in-situ building elements.
Current status:
There is no indication that the Commission plans to introduce binding circularity targets into the EPBD at present.
WorldGBC recommendation:
Circularity requirements delivering a highly resource efficient built environment.
Current status:
There is no indication that the Commission plans to introduce binding circularity targets into the EPBD at present.
WorldGBC recommendation:
Mandate provision of functional and environmental product information and establish how to inform sector about reusing products and materials.
Help relieve national-level bottlenecks that prevent adoption of circular and low-carbon products.
Current status:
The 2024 revision of the CPR has introduced requirements for product manufacturers to disclose various indicators related to Global Warming Potential (GWP) over time.
WorldGBC recommendation:
Integrate minimum thresholds on reusability, recyclability and other circularity performance indicators linked to mechanisms to ensure appropriate quality for the intended use.
Current status:
As per the 2024 CPR revision (dates subject to change):
Early 2026 (One year after publication of updated CPR): GWP indicators will need to be disclosed in ‘declarations of performance’ – total GWP, fossil fuels, biogenic, and land use/land use change.
2027: Digital Product Passport (DPP) system to be established.
2028–30: Requirement for product manufacturers to deliver a DPP. 2030–32: Additional environmental indicators, such as ozone depletion, acidification potential, and abiotic depletion, will become mandatory.
2030–32: Additional environmental indicators, such as ozone depletion, acidification potential, and abiotic depletion, will become mandatory.
However, these obligations are dependent on construction products being covered by the 2024 CPR, which is a gradual transition from the 2011 CPR.
No data available
No data available
WorldGBC recommendation:
Establish how to reach EU targets for reducing construction and demolition waste (C&DW) by:
Current status:
2024 revision of the Waste Framework Directive did not address buildings or building products specifically.
WorldGBC recommendation:
By 2026:
By 2030: Mandate full implementation of EU C&DW protocol.
Current status:
2024 revision of the Waste Framework Directive did not address buildings or building products specifically.
WorldGBC recommendation:
By 2035:
By 2040: WFD strengthened to increase circularity of value chains and facilitate use of secondary materials from C&DW.
Current status:
2024 revision of the Waste Framework Directive did not address buildings or building products specifically.
WorldGBC recommendation:
National-level regulations eliminate C&DW; demand for building materials met by circularity and efficient use of existing resources.
Sectoral standards support harmonised, environmentally robust practices, helping meet key EU targets.
Current status:
2024 revision of the Waste Framework Directive did not address buildings or building products specifically.
WorldGBC recommendation:
2022–24:
Current status:
The European Commission is working on the development of EU-wide end-of-waste criteria for selected streams of construction and demolition waste, and have released a report.
The Commission has also updated the EU Construction and Demolition Waste Management Protocol.
WorldGBC recommendation:
By 2026:
Current status:
There has been little further progress towards these objectives beyond the work mentioned under the 2024 section.
However, in Ursula von der Leyen’s Political Guidelines, she has committed to delivering a new Circular Economy Act, which will aim to help create market demand for secondary materials and a single market for waste, notably in relation to critical raw materials.
WorldGBC recommendation:
By 2035:
No data available
WorldGBC recommendation:
Current status:
WorldGBC recommendation:
Current status
There is no communication on the EU Commission’s plans to update the EU Taxonomy criteria for buidings and recommendations from 2022 are still not implemented.
WorldGBC recommendation:
Integrated Life-cycle analysis (LCA) is at the core of built-environment criteria.
Energy thresholds are based on real, in-use energy and carbon performance.
Current status:
There is no communication on the EU Commission’s plans to update the EU Taxonomy criteria for buidings and recommendations from 2022 are still not implemented.
WorldGBC recommendation:
All new buildings should be energy and climate positive across the whole life cycle with strong circularity requirements and resilient to physical risks from climate change.
Current status:
There is no communication on the EU Commission’s plans to update the EU Taxonomy criteria for buildings and recommendations from 2022 are still not implemented.
WorldGBC recommendation:
EU funds
Channel EU recovery funds and the Social Climate Fund into renovation programmes to help tackle energy poverty by encouraging deep renovation and addressing worst-performing buildings.
Private finance
Develop standards for private financing products (such as mortgage portfolio standards) that are aligned with the EU Taxonomy.
Support local governments
Ensure local governments have direct access to funds to establish and maintain renovation programmes and campaigns.
Current status:
EU funds There are a select number of investment funds available at the EU level for financing building renovation: the Recovery and Resilience Facility, the Social Climate Fund, the Cohesion Fund, and InvestEU.
Private finance: 2024 revision of the Energy Performance of Buildings Directive (EPBD)
Support local governments
WorldGBC recommendation:
Ensure previous changes (see 2022) are well implemented and taken up by industry and finance.
Current status:
Measures from 2022 are still work in progress
WorldGBC recommendation:
Update mortgage portfolio standards and other private financing standards to address renovations’ WLC.
No information yet available
No data available
WorldGBC recommendation:
Alignment
Align EU Taxonomy with sustainability disclosure regulations such as the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD) and the Sustainable Finance Disclosure Regulation (SFDR).
Incentivise circularity
Disburse innovation and implementation finance for circular solutions.
Green finance
Promote green loans and bonds to improve real estate assets in line with Paris Agreement targets.
Current status:
Alignment
SFDR mandates disclosure of physical risks and the reporting of EU Taxonomy alignment and CSRD expands scope of reporting companies from 12,000 to 50,000 as of 2025, with requirements to disclose EU Taxonomy alignment. While these legislations are cross-referenced to each other, they aren’t fully aligned and pose reporting challenges.
Incentivise circularity
The Built4People partnership brings together the whole value chain to accelerate people-centric innovation for a sustainable built environment, by disbursing EUR 380 million of Horizon Europe funds into innovation for the the transition to a people-centric, climate-neutral, sustainable and smart built environment. The partnershsip runs until 2027 but has already disbursed funds in circularity. Much more funding is required to effectively move towards circular value chains in construction and real estate.
Green finance
WorldGBC recommendation:
Develop green insurance mechanisms to promote low-carbon buildings through resilience risk assessment.
No information yet available
WorldGBC recommendation:
Most financial mechanisms and policy instruments promote net zero embodied carbon buildings.
No information yet available
No data available
WorldGBC recommendation:
GPP criteria should be expanded to cover all public buildings. It should:
Current status:
GPP for office buildings is under review and will be extended to cover schools and housing. It will integrate the Level(s) framework.
WorldGBC recommendation:
Update the Commission’s tender criteria to include:
Current status:
The Commission’s tender criteria have not been revised to encompass these measures yet.
Current status:
A revision of the EU Public Procurement Directive was announced in Ursula von der Leyen’s Political Guidelines in 2024. Awaiting further details to see how much focus this has on sustainability. The guidelines focus more on improving competitiveness for European products and modernising and simplifying public procurement rules.
WorldGBC recommendation:
EU Procurement Directive:
Current status:
A revision of the EU Public Procurement Directive was announced in Ursula von der Leyen’s Political Guidelines in 2024. Awaiting further details to see how much focus this has on sustainability. The guidelines focus more on improving competitiveness for European products and modernising and simplifying public procurement rules.
WorldGBC recommendation:
EU Procurement Directive:
WorldGBC recommendation:
Implementation of EU Procurement Directive and procurement strategies at national and subnational levels ensures:
WorldGBC recommendation:
EC should outline mandatory MEPS and a timeline for their achievement in line with net zero emissions by 2050.
Current status:
2024 revision of the Energy Performance of Buildings Directive (EPBD)
Sets out renovation requirements for residential and non-residential buildings.
For non-residential buildings these take the form of mandatory MEPS, while Member States should also should establish national trajectories for the progressive renovation of the national residential building stock.
These measures are set with the over-arching aim that existing buildings should be Zero Emission Building (ZEB) standard by 2050.
WorldGBC recommendation:
Revise MEPS threshold to ensure alignment with decarbonisation trajectory.
Current status:
Non-residential buildings
By 2030: Member States must renovate the 16% worst performing section of the non-residential stock.
Compliance with these MEPS by individual buildings is to be verified by checking EPCs or other means defined by Member States.
Residential buildings
By 2030: Member States must ensure that the average primary energy use of the entire residential building stock decreases by at least 16% compared to 2020.
Member States have the flexibility to decide what tools are used to achieve these renovation targets, such as MEPS, technical assistance and financial support measures.
WorldGBC recommendation:
Revise MEPS threshold to ensure alignment with decarbonisation trajectory.
Current status:
While there are further specific renovation targets set for 2033 and 2035 for non-residential and residential buildings respectively, thereafter the text leaves a lot to national interpretation.
Non-residential buildings
By 2033: Member States must renovate the 26% worst performing section of the non-residential stock.
By 2040: Further percentage segments of the non-residential stock, identified against the 2020 baseline, will need to be renovated, in line with the transformation of the national non-residential building stock into ZEB by 2050.
Residential buildings
Member States shall ensure that the average primary energy use of the entire residential building stock:
By 2035: decreases by at least 20-22% compared to 2020 by 2035.
By 2040: is equivalent to or lower than the nationally determined value, in line with the gradual transformation of the residential building stock into ZEB by 2050.
WorldGBC recommendation:
Entire building stock will be net zero WLC (whole life carbon).
Current status:
The Commission has set the long-term goal of a decarbonised building stock and that existing buildings should be ZEB standard by 2050.
However, while Member States are required to set future MEPS from 2040, the text leaves a lot to national interpretation.
WorldGBC recommendation:
Indicate a clear process for updating EPCs to help harmonise and validate performance to increase reliability and improve asset rating calculation with measured building performance.
Mandate that:
Current status:
2024 revision of the EPBD
This revision outlines a process to facilitate greater harmonisation of EPCs, including a new template with which Member States must comply.
WorldGBC recommendation:
By 2025: EPCs must report on WLC for new, public and larger non-residential buildings.
Current status:
By May 2026:
As of 2028: WLC disclosed through EPC for all new buildings with a useful floor area larger than 1,000m2.
As of 2030: WLC disclosed through EPC for all new buildings.
However, there is a quite a large exemption since Member States that have rescaled their energy performance classes on or after 1 January 2019 and before 28 May 2024, may postpone the rescaling of their energy performance classes until 31 December 2029.
No data available
No data available
WorldGBC recommendation:
Member States to develop national climate action roadmaps by 2024 in line with EU climate objectives, going beyond long-term renovation strategies and covering all buildings.
National climate action roadmaps must include milestones to ensure all buildings are net zero WLC by 2050.
Individual climate action roadmaps for all buildings; these must articulate how MEPS can contribute to climate neutrality.
Current status:
2024 revision of the EPBD
Introduces National Building Renovation Plans (NBRP) which replace long term renovation strategies. Member States must submit them every five years and they should include (see full list in EPBD Annex II):
However, life cycle GWP measures are only listed as optional.
WorldGBC recommendation:
By 2025:
By 2028:
Member States must update their roadmaps and extend their scope to cover WLC for existing buildings and provide evidence that their trajectory is compatible with the 2030 and 2050 objectives.
By 2030:
Member States must update their roadmaps and prove their trajectory is compatible with the 2030 and 2050 EU climate objectives; if they are not, key indicators and milestones should be reviewed and adapted.
Current status:
The NBRPs must be closely linked to integrated National Energy and Climate Plans (NECP) and the contribution of the NBRPs to national and Union climate goals.
End of 2025: Draft of NBRPs submitted
End of 2026: NBRPs submitted
As of 2028: Draft of second NBRPs submitted with next draft NECP
As of 2029: Second NBRPs submitted with NECPs
Current status:
NBRPs will continue to be submitted with NECPs on a five-year cycle:
As of 2033: Draft of third NBRPs submitted with next draft NECP
As of 2034: Third NBRPs submitted with NECPs Continues on a five-year cycle.
Continues on a five-year cycle.
WorldGBC recommendation:
Entire building stock will be net zero WLC.
Current status:
NBRPs will continue to be submitted with NECPs on a five year cycle:
By 2050: Member States achieve the renovation of the national stock of residential and non-residential buildings, both public and private, into a highly energy-efficient and decarbonised building stock with the objective to transform existing buildings into zero-emission buildings.
WorldGBC recommendation:
Signal that Member States must develop open-source databases on calculated and measured energy performance and GHG emissions of building stock to contribute to an EU wide database or network of databases.
Current status:
2024 revision of the EPBD
Each Member State must set up a national database for the energy performance of buildings which allows data to be gathered on the energy performance of individual buildings and on the overall energy performance of the national building stock.
Databases should allow the collection of data from Energy Performance Certificates, inspections, the renovation passport, the smart readiness indicator and the calculated or metered energy consumption of the buildings covered.
Data may also be gathered and stored on operational, embodied and WLC emissions.
Member States should make publicly available information on share of buildings covered by EPCs and aggregated/anonymised data on the energy performance, including the energy consumption, and, where available, WLC of the buildings covered.
At least once per year, Member States shall ensure the transfer of the information in the national database to the EU Building Stock Observatory.
WorldGBC recommendation:
By 2025: EU should develop an open-source database or network of databases that can be linked to Member State databases and provide guidance on how to align them.
By 2026: Member States should have launched open-source databases linked to the EU-wide database.
By 2030: Member States are using data in Individual Climate Action Roadmaps to increase reliability of building-level databases (linked to EU database).
Current status:
Member States must continue to transfer data from their national databases to the EU Building Stock Observatory at least once per year.
By 30 June 2025: The Commission shall adopt the first implementing act to establish common templates for the transfer of information from national databases to the EU Building Stock Observatory.
Current status:
Member States must continue to transfer data from their national databases to the EU Building Stock Observatory at least once per year.
WorldGBC recommendation:
Entire building stock will be net zero WLC.
Current status:
Member States must continue to transfer data from their national databases to the EU Building Stock Observatory at least once per year.
WorldGBC recommendation:
Update EPBD to facilitate a pan-European approach – based on Level(s) – for reporting operational and embodied carbon metrics.
Operational carbon metrics should be based on high-quality asset ratings and in-use verified energy consumption data, if available, or on realistic estimates.
Embodied carbon metrics can be based on bills of materials and measured or estimated energy consumption for relevant stages of the life cycle (e.g. construction, transportation and demolition).
Emission factors for operational and embodied carbon assessments should be robust and high quality, ideally based on a recognised national database.
EPBD requires Member States to assess and disclose information on WLC metrics for all new constructions and major renovation.
Current status:
2024 revision of the EPBD
Dates set for mandatory WLC reporting and national limit values and targets.
WLC reporting based on EN 15978 and scope of building elements based on Level(s) framework indicator 1.2.
WLC should be communicated as a numeric indicator for each life cycle stage expressed as kgCO2e/m2.y (of useful floor area), averaged for one year of a reference study period of 50 years.
When available, life cycle data regarding specific construction products calculated in accordance with the revised Construction Products Regulation (CPR) shall be used.
WorldGBC recommendation:
By 2026:
By 2030:
Current status:
By end of 2025: Commission will adopt a Delegated Act to establish minimum requirements for national WLC reporting methodologies.
By start of 2027: Member States must produce national life-cycle GWP (Global Warming Potential) roadmaps including targets and limit values for new buildings from 2030. Roadmaps should incorporate how the limit values can be tightened over time, and how they might differ between climatic zones and building typologies.
As of 2028: Mandatory WLC reporting (life cycle GWP) for all new buildings with a useful floor area larger than 1,000 m2.
As of 2030:
WorldGBC recommendation:
Embodied and operational carbon limits must be continually reviewed and lowered in line with 2050 WLC Roadmap and national goals.
WorldGBC recommendation:
Entire building stock will be net zero WLC.
WorldGBC recommendation:
Provide guidance to Member States and regional authorities for setting and implementing circularity requirements in building regulations that must increase over time to drive maximum resource efficiency by 2050.
Establish a timeline for introducing these requirements into EPBD, aligned with timeline for introducing WLC targets.
Current status:
2024 revision of the EPBD contains little reference to circularity measures, though the guidance for Member States creating National Building Renovation Plans does include the requirement to set out “policies and measures with regard to … prevention and high-quality treatment of construction and demolition waste in accordance with Directive 2008/98/EC, in particular as regards the waste hierarchy, and the objectives of the circular economy”.
No timeline has been introduced for any binding requirements to be introduced into the EPBD.
WorldGBC recommendation:
By 2026: Evaluate progress on integration of circularity requirements in the EPBD and Renovation Wave and potential of mandatory minimum requirement at building level to drive progress and help to reduce WLC.
By 2030: Tighten circularity requirements in EPBD to increase share of circular products in construction projects and of reuse of in-situ building elements.
Current status:
There is no indication that the Commission plans to introduce binding circularity targets into the EPBD at present.
WorldGBC recommendation:
Further tightening of circularity requirements to increase share of circular products in construction projects and of reuse of in-situ building elements.
Current status:
There is no indication that the Commission plans to introduce binding circularity targets into the EPBD at present.
WorldGBC recommendation:
Circularity requirements delivering a highly resource efficient built environment.
Current status:
There is no indication that the Commission plans to introduce binding circularity targets into the EPBD at present.
WorldGBC recommendation:
Mandate provision of functional and environmental product information and establish how to inform sector about reusing products and materials.
Help relieve national-level bottlenecks that prevent adoption of circular and low-carbon products.
Current status:
The 2024 revision of the CPR has introduced requirements for product manufacturers to disclose various indicators related to Global Warming Potential (GWP) over time.
WorldGBC recommendation:
Integrate minimum thresholds on reusability, recyclability and other circularity performance indicators linked to mechanisms to ensure appropriate quality for the intended use.
Current status:
As per the 2024 CPR revision (dates subject to change):
Early 2026 (One year after publication of updated CPR): GWP indicators will need to be disclosed in ‘declarations of performance’ – total GWP, fossil fuels, biogenic, and land use/land use change.
2027: Digital Product Passport (DPP) system to be established.
2028–30: Requirement for product manufacturers to deliver a DPP. 2030–32: Additional environmental indicators, such as ozone depletion, acidification potential, and abiotic depletion, will become mandatory.
2030–32: Additional environmental indicators, such as ozone depletion, acidification potential, and abiotic depletion, will become mandatory.
However, these obligations are dependent on construction products being covered by the 2024 CPR, which is a gradual transition from the 2011 CPR.
No data available
No data available
WorldGBC recommendation:
Establish how to reach EU targets for reducing construction and demolition waste (C&DW) by:
Current status:
2024 revision of the Waste Framework Directive did not address buildings or building products specifically.
WorldGBC recommendation:
By 2026:
By 2030: Mandate full implementation of EU C&DW protocol.
Current status:
2024 revision of the Waste Framework Directive did not address buildings or building products specifically.
WorldGBC recommendation:
By 2035:
By 2040: WFD strengthened to increase circularity of value chains and facilitate use of secondary materials from C&DW.
Current status:
2024 revision of the Waste Framework Directive did not address buildings or building products specifically.
WorldGBC recommendation:
National-level regulations eliminate C&DW; demand for building materials met by circularity and efficient use of existing resources.
Sectoral standards support harmonised, environmentally robust practices, helping meet key EU targets.
Current status:
2024 revision of the Waste Framework Directive did not address buildings or building products specifically.
WorldGBC recommendation:
2022–24:
Current status:
The European Commission is working on the development of EU-wide end-of-waste criteria for selected streams of construction and demolition waste, and have released a report.
The Commission has also updated the EU Construction and Demolition Waste Management Protocol.
WorldGBC recommendation:
By 2026:
Current status:
There has been little further progress towards these objectives beyond the work mentioned under the 2024 section.
However, in Ursula von der Leyen’s Political Guidelines, she has committed to delivering a new Circular Economy Act, which will aim to help create market demand for secondary materials and a single market for waste, notably in relation to critical raw materials.
WorldGBC recommendation:
By 2035:
No data available
WorldGBC recommendation:
Current status:
WorldGBC recommendation:
Current status
There is no communication on the EU Commission’s plans to update the EU Taxonomy criteria for buidings and recommendations from 2022 are still not implemented.
WorldGBC recommendation:
Integrated Life-cycle analysis (LCA) is at the core of built-environment criteria.
Energy thresholds are based on real, in-use energy and carbon performance.
Current status:
There is no communication on the EU Commission’s plans to update the EU Taxonomy criteria for buidings and recommendations from 2022 are still not implemented.
WorldGBC recommendation:
All new buildings should be energy and climate positive across the whole life cycle with strong circularity requirements and resilient to physical risks from climate change.
Current status:
There is no communication on the EU Commission’s plans to update the EU Taxonomy criteria for buildings and recommendations from 2022 are still not implemented.
WorldGBC recommendation:
EU funds
Channel EU recovery funds and the Social Climate Fund into renovation programmes to help tackle energy poverty by encouraging deep renovation and addressing worst-performing buildings.
Private finance
Develop standards for private financing products (such as mortgage portfolio standards) that are aligned with the EU Taxonomy.
Support local governments
Ensure local governments have direct access to funds to establish and maintain renovation programmes and campaigns.
Current status:
EU funds There are a select number of investment funds available at the EU level for financing building renovation: the Recovery and Resilience Facility, the Social Climate Fund, the Cohesion Fund, and InvestEU.
Private finance: 2024 revision of the Energy Performance of Buildings Directive (EPBD)
Support local governments
WorldGBC recommendation:
Ensure previous changes (see 2022) are well implemented and taken up by industry and finance.
Current status:
Measures from 2022 are still work in progress
WorldGBC recommendation:
Update mortgage portfolio standards and other private financing standards to address renovations’ WLC.
No information yet available
No data available
WorldGBC recommendation:
Alignment
Align EU Taxonomy with sustainability disclosure regulations such as the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD) and the Sustainable Finance Disclosure Regulation (SFDR).
Incentivise circularity
Disburse innovation and implementation finance for circular solutions.
Green finance
Promote green loans and bonds to improve real estate assets in line with Paris Agreement targets.
Current status:
Alignment
SFDR mandates disclosure of physical risks and the reporting of EU Taxonomy alignment and CSRD expands scope of reporting companies from 12,000 to 50,000 as of 2025, with requirements to disclose EU Taxonomy alignment. While these legislations are cross-referenced to each other, they aren’t fully aligned and pose reporting challenges.
Incentivise circularity
The Built4People partnership brings together the whole value chain to accelerate people-centric innovation for a sustainable built environment, by disbursing EUR 380 million of Horizon Europe funds into innovation for the the transition to a people-centric, climate-neutral, sustainable and smart built environment. The partnershsip runs until 2027 but has already disbursed funds in circularity. Much more funding is required to effectively move towards circular value chains in construction and real estate.
Green finance
WorldGBC recommendation:
Develop green insurance mechanisms to promote low-carbon buildings through resilience risk assessment.
No information yet available
WorldGBC recommendation:
Most financial mechanisms and policy instruments promote net zero embodied carbon buildings.
No information yet available
No data available
WorldGBC recommendation:
GPP criteria should be expanded to cover all public buildings. It should:
Current status:
GPP for office buildings is under review and will be extended to cover schools and housing. It will integrate the Level(s) framework.
WorldGBC recommendation:
Update the Commission’s tender criteria to include:
Current status:
The Commission’s tender criteria have not been revised to encompass these measures yet.
Current status:
A revision of the EU Public Procurement Directive was announced in Ursula von der Leyen’s Political Guidelines in 2024. Awaiting further details to see how much focus this has on sustainability. The guidelines focus more on improving competitiveness for European products and modernising and simplifying public procurement rules.
WorldGBC recommendation:
EU Procurement Directive:
Current status:
A revision of the EU Public Procurement Directive was announced in Ursula von der Leyen’s Political Guidelines in 2024. Awaiting further details to see how much focus this has on sustainability. The guidelines focus more on improving competitiveness for European products and modernising and simplifying public procurement rules.
WorldGBC recommendation:
EU Procurement Directive:
WorldGBC recommendation:
Implementation of EU Procurement Directive and procurement strategies at national and subnational levels ensures:
