INDICATE LIFE closing workshop explores whole life carbon implementation in Hungary
On 9 September 2026, the Hungary Green Building Council (HuGBC) hosted the final national workshop of the INDICATE LIFE project in Hungary as part of World Green Building Week.
The workshop brought together stakeholders to discuss the measurement and implementation of whole life carbon (WLC) in the Hungarian built environment, with a particular focus on the development of a national roadmap for the introduction of Global Warming Potential (GWP) limit values for buildings.
Zsuzsa Szalay presenting during the Hungary INDICATE LIFE workshop.
Strengthening the policy framework for WLC
The workshop opened with a presentation from Zsuzsa Szalay, INDICATE LIFE project expert in Hungary and leader of HuGBC’s life cycle assessment (LCA) working group. Szalay highlighted the growing importance of embodied carbon and presented relevant European Union (EU) and national regulations relating to LCA.
Barbara Réthelyi, Head of the Energy Efficiency Monitoring Department at the Ministry of Energy and Economy, then discussed the relationship between the Energy Performance of Buildings Directive (EPBD), the National Building Renovation Plan and Hungary’s national roadmap for introducing GWP limits.
The National Building Renovation Plan will soon be submitted for public consultation, while the national roadmap, expected at the beginning of 2027, will help determine the timeline for introducing GWP limits in Hungary.
Identifying practical challenges and solutions
Following the presentations, participants divided into four groups to explore the key areas that will influence the implementation of building LCA in Hungary:
· Regulation
· Methodology
· Data and data gaps
· Education and training
The group discussions gave stakeholders an opportunity to consider the current challenges in each area, share their expertise and identify potential solutions and areas for further collaboration.
The discussions demonstrated a strong commitment among stakeholders to continued cooperation and to strengthening LCA practices as an important step towards decarbonising Hungary’s built environment.