PROJECT DESCRIPTION
BACKGROUND
The buildings sector is vital for meeting the objectives of the Paris Agreement on climate change, the United Nations sustainable development goals and EU policy on climate, the circular economy and the environment. In the EU, it accounts for over a third of emissions, half of energy consumption and raw material extraction, and a third of all waste and water usage, while also providing 18 million jobs in construction. People spend 90% of their time indoors; the effects of poor outdoor air quality on health are well recognised but indoor air quality is just as critical. Global emissions (almost 30%) from operational emissions in buildings are being tackled, but over 10% are related to other life-cycle emissions from the sector (e.g. product manufacture, construction).
To mainstream a life-cycle approach and help the sector reduce the total environmental impact of the buildings it invests in, designs, builds, occupies and deconstructs, the European Commission createdLevel(s). This is a framework of common EU indicators to address the life-cycle environmental performance of buildings. Developed with hundreds of actors from industry, government and NGOs, Level(s) aims to be the foundation of Europes future sustainable building policy and underpin awareness raising, training, etc. It focuses attention on six key areas: life-cycle greenhouse gas emissions; resource efficiency; water efficiency; health and wellbeing; adaptation and resilience; and life-cycle cost and value. The European network of Green Building Councils (GBCs) developed a Theory of Change showing the outputs and outcomes required to mainstream Level(s), with 22 national GBCs involved. Their experience showed it is challenging for most European companies to apply the indicators within Level(s) - particularly the key indicators on life-cycle assessment (LCA), life-cycle costing (LCC) and indoor air quality (IAQ), due to a lack of data and expertise in the industry.
OBJECTIVES
The LIFEforLLL(s) project aimed to focus on actions to mainstream the Level(s) key indicators on LCA, LCC and IAQ. Eight of the 22 members of the European Green Building Councils aimed to take the Theory of Change as a basis for the project, which would involve stakeholders from the public, private sector and certification schemes to explore how these key indicators can be implemented on a pan-European scale. The project seeked to do this by achieving the following objectives, the first step in creating the conditions for the European construction sector to mainstream Level(s):
- Alignment of Europe's leading green building certification schemes with Level(s) to ensure they are aligned in approach and generate more comparable data on life-cycle performance;
- Identification of administrative and data requirements needed to support Level(s) across Europe;
- Working with public authorities to align green public procurement criteria with Level(s);
- Building the capacity of stakeholders across the whole sector value chain to apply the indicators; and
- Generating awareness across industry and government on the necessity of Level(s) and a life-cycle approach framework in addressing climate and environmental risk.
RESULTS
LifeforLLL(s) helped mainstream sustainable buildings in Europe. The project team raised awareness and used specified indicators within the framework of Level(s), a set of common EU indicators that address the life cycle environmental performance of buildings. The key indicators were Life Cycle Assessment (LCA), Life Cycle Costing (LCC), and Indoor Air Quality (IAQ).
To address the lack of data and expertise in the building sector concerning LCA, LCC and IAQ, the project team worked with stakeholders (public and private industries and professionals) and certification schemes to explore how key Level(s) indicators can be implemented on an European scale. The project partnership included the Green Building Councils (GBCs) of Spain, Croatia, the Netherlands, France, Finland, Italy, Germany, and Ireland.
The project team developed:
- A mapping procedure to assess conformity with Level(s), that served to identify gaps and increase the conformity of certification schemes in 8 countries. The tool is available in the web, for all certification schemes active in Europe.
- National databases on embedded carbon for key materials (steel, brick, cement), and related best practices.
- A reporting template with an easy-to-use interface to simplify Level(s) reporting, and a tool for certifiers to report on the compliance with indicators.
- A standardised form for manufacturers to report on pollutants.
- A verifier checklist / verification report template to assess compliance with Level(s) indicators, providing quality control of building level LCA/LCC.
- Recommendations on data to be used by countries with no generic database on embedded carbon in materials.
- A Best Practice Guide to support incorporating Level(s) indicators into public procurement processes.
The project’s training initiative on Level(s) indicators LCA, LCC, IAQ, and the use of the Environmental Product Declaration (EPD), reached about 3 000 people (1 600 designers, consultants, certifiers, building firms; 700 manufacturers and suppliers, and 600 public procurers and representatives of local, regional and national bodies). This Level(s) training was carried out by GBCs as a part of their educational programmes based on tailor-made training materials on LCA, LCC and IAQ indicators, including EPDs as supportive content.
Commitments to implement Level(s) indicators into the building sector were signed by 12 public authorities (municipalities, agencies, regional governments) and by 68 industry representatives (civil engineers, architects, consultants, product manufacturers, developers).
The project raised awareness and promoted the use of the Level(s) framework by both buildings sector leaders and policymakers, and helped overcome the barriers caused by challenges such as lack of data and expertise, and reached through media 11.6 million people.
Further information on the project can be found in the project's Layman Report (see "Read more" section).
