Researchers propose harmonized Nordic calculation methods to reduce buildings' climate impact
Together with Nordic colleagues, experts at IVL Swedish Environmental Research Institute have developed calculation methods that they believe can form the basis of a joint Nordic implementation of European building legislation.
In a new report, they highlight the benefits of having a standardized method for calculating the climate impact of buildings from a life-cycle perspective.
The Nordic countries are at the forefront of climate declarations for new buildings, and several countries have already implemented or plan to introduce the regulations through legislation. In the EU it is now mandatory to declare the global warming potential (GWP) of a building, based on the updated Energy Performance of Buildings Directive (EPBD).
From 2030, climate declarations will be required for all new buildings, and already in 2028 for all buildings over 1000 square metres. The calculations will be based on life cycle assessment and follow global and European standards. To streamline these calculations, the project, founded by Nordic Innovation, has developed calculation methods with methodological assumptions, scenario settings and generic data that can be used.
"The new EU legislation means that the entire life cycle of all new buildings must be declared in terms of climate impacts, and must comply with the limit that will be set nationally. This requires everyone to calculate in the same way, and we have now produced an initial set of scenario assumptions", says Martin Erlandsson, life cycle expert at IVL Swedish Environmental Research Institute.
The report describes different scenario assumptions and the information modules associated with these. The future scenario that is applied is intended to reflect developments over the next 50 years, and is based on policy decisions that have been taken. The report also addresses topics such as vegetation on building sites and the definition of sustainable forests, and what is required in order to be able to credit the contribution to biogenic carbon storage in the building products used.
"We are aware that not all of these aspects will be included in the final climate declaration, but it is good that the research also considers possible future issues, and our results can already be used in voluntary assessments", says Janne Pesu, project manager at the Finnish Environment Institute SYKE.
Read more and download the report here.
External link, opens in new window.
For more information, contact:
Martin Erlandsson, martin.erlandsson@ivl.se, tel. +46 (0)10-788 65 30
The recommendations and the report were prepared by a group of experts from the Nordic region: IVL Swedish Environmental Research Institute, Finnish Environment Institute (SYKE) and Natural Resources Institute Finland (LUKE), and with the assistance of many other experts from across the Nordic region and Estonia.