An EU framework for calculating the life-cycle global warming potential (GWP) of new buildings has been published today, aimed at ensuring EU countries use comparable methodologies for this calculation. However, this Delegated Regulation (EU) 2026/52 establishing the Union framework for the national calculation of life-cycle global warming potential still allows considerable flexibility for national specificities.
Under the revised Energy Performance of Buildings Directive (EPBD), adopted in 2024, the life-cycle global warming potential (GWP) will have to be calculated and disclosed in energy performance certificates (EPCs) from January 2028 for new buildings with a floor area exceeding 1 000 m². This will then be extended to apply to all new buildings as of January 2030. The life-cycle GWP of a building measures its greenhouse gas emissions across its entire life cycle, covering: the production and transport of construction products, on-site construction activities, energy use during the building’s operation, replacement of construction materials, demolition, waste transport, and waste management, including reuse, recycling, and final disposal.
This delegated regulation also promotes synergies with other legislative instruments, such as using manufacturer-provided data under the Construction Products Regulation and Ecodesign and Energy Labelling legislation. The delegated regulation allows the use of default values where such data is unavailable.
By supporting consistent and reliable calculations, the regulation promotes sustainable construction through the use of low-carbon materials (e.g. clean steel and cement), carbon-storage materials (e.g. wood-based construction), and reuse and recycling.
This regulation will enter into force on 24 May, the 20th day following today’s publication.
