New reports examine whole life carbon methodologies in Europe

As European countries prepare to implement the revised Energy Performance of Buildings Directive (EPBD), developing consistent approaches to whole life carbon (WLC) assessment is becoming increasingly important.

To support this transition, the INDICATE LIFE project has published four national methodology reports examining WLC assessment in Austria, Croatia, Italy and Luxembourg. The reports provide an overview of national approaches, highlighting key challenges and priorities as countries prepare for EPBD requirements.

Although the four countries are at different stages of implementation, several common challenges emerge. These include differences between existing assessment frameworks, limited data availability and access to calculation tools. Together, the reports provide evidence to support more consistent and comparable approaches to WLC assessment across Europe.

Austria

Led by ÖGNI – Austrian Sustainable Building Council, the Austrian report reviews the life cycle assessment (LCA) methodologies currently used in the country's built environment.

It finds that several national and international frameworks are already in use, but differences between them can limit the comparability of results across projects. The report also highlights ongoing work to align national guidance with the EPBD and develop national WLC benchmarks.

Read the Austrian methodology report.

‍Croatia

‍Led by the Energy Institute Hrvoje Požar (EIHP), the Croatian report examines the current use of LCA and WLC assessment in the country's building sector.

‍While WLC assessment is not yet mandatory, forthcoming legislation is expected to support the introduction of WLC requirements for new buildings, alongside the development of national benchmarks and a national roadmap.

‍Read the Croatian methodology report.

‍Italy

‍Led by the Università degli Studi di Bergamo, the Italian report explores the country's evolving approach to WLC assessment.

‍It highlights progress made through initiatives such as BuildingLife and recent updates to Italy's Minimum Environmental Criteria (CAM), while identifying opportunities to improve methodological consistency, data availability and access to calculation tools.

‍Read the Italian methodology report.

‍Luxembourg

‍Led by the Luxembourg Institute of Science and Technology (LIST), the report examines the country's current approach to WLC assessment, which is primarily based on voluntary certification schemes.

‍It proposes the foundations for a harmonised methodology aligned with EN 15978, the EU Level(s) framework and forthcoming EPBD requirements, while highlighting the need for a centralised embodied carbon database to support consistent and transparent reporting.

‍Read the Luxembourg methodology report.

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Together, the four reports provide valuable insights for policymakers, industry and practitioners working to strengthen WLC assessment and support the implementation of the revised EPBD across Europe.