INDICATE results will contribute to decarbonisation of the construction sector

The updated European Directive on the energy performance of buildings will in a couple of years make it mandatory to quantify the carbon footprint of Czech buildings throughout their entire life cycle, including embodied emissions from building materials. The Sustainable Building research team of the CTU UCEEB has completed its part of the international INDICATE project, which aimed to provide comprehensive and high-quality baseline data on the carbon footprint of buildings to prepare the Czech construction industry for decarbonisation.

The revised EPBD includes a requirement to calculate and report on the carbon footprint of buildings throughout their life cycle. From 2028 it will apply first to new buildings of more than 1000m2 and from 2030 to all new buildings. Based on our long-term experience in assessing and certifying the environmental impacts of building materials, construction products and entire buildings using the standardised LCA (Life Cycle Assessment) method, we were commissioned by the INDICATE project to develop 50 sample case studies for calculating the life cycle Global Warming Potential (GWP) of typical Czech buildings. We carried out a wide selection of projects ranging from family and apartment buildings to office buildings and schools, mainly new buildings but also renovations. Different material solutions and design standards were also represented. This led to a total number of 103 WLC cases, as shown at the chart:



Together with other partners (Czech Green Building Council and the industry alliance Chance for Buildings), we prepared a summary of the methodology for calculating the Whole Life Carbon (WLC) footprint of buildings in Czech conditions and obtained the first comprehensive set of GWP values for the main typologies, material and design solutions of buildings in the Czech Republic and proposed a number of further steps needed. The processes and results were also discussed and presented to wide target groups from the construction practice, including policy makers.

The most important of these are the compilation of a strategy for decarbonisation of the Czech built environment and the creation of a centralised national LCA database containing verified and up-to-date data on life cycle assessment of different building materials and construction methods. We also proposed the introduction of a uniform WLC methodology and a user-friendly national tool for its calculation, which would significantly simplify the whole process. Last but not least, we consider it important to invest in the training of construction professionals so that they acquire the knowledge and skills needed to effectively implement the requirements of the revised EPBD in practice.