By 2030, EU countries must calculate and disclose ‘whole life carbon’ (WLC) or ‘life cycle GWP’ covering the full life cycle of new buildings — introduced in the last update of the Energy Performance of Buildings Directive (EPBD). This includes both operational and embodied carbon emissions.

National governments also need to publish roadmaps by the start of 2027 that outline WLC limit values and targets

WorldGBC’s new policy briefing provides recommendations for governments on how to prepare for the introduction of these measures, including:

• construction sector capacity building;
• databases and data collection;
• encouraging compliance;

plus recommendations for the European Commission on how to support implementation.