“Fight climate change by committing European real estate players to low-carbon building“

Sensations – Strasbourg (67) France – 9.300 sqm
Bouygues Immobilier – KOZ Architecture, ASP Architecture
Label BBCA Excellence – New Built

© Bouygues immobilier

The LCBI Initiative

The real estate industry accounts for more than a third of global CO2 emissions. To achieve carbon neutrality by 2050, all European countries need to reduce the carbon footprint of new, retrofitted and in-use buildings. Calculating carbon emissions at each stage of a building’s life cycle – construction, operations and end of life – is necessary to quantify the real carbon footprint of real estate.

The Low Carbon Building Initiative (LCBI), launched in 2022, unites major European real-estate stakeholders to promote low carbon buildings and reduce the CO2 emissions of European real estate by half (measured in a Life-Cycle Analysis). LCBI aims to create the first pan-European low carbon label measuring the carbon footprint of real estate based on a Life-Cycle Analysis.

About the methodology

Founding sponsors

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Technical Experts

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Bureau Veritas,
preferred certifier

From Arnaud Regout

President of LCBI Advisory Committee, Chief Investment Officer BPI Real Estate (CFE Group)

“Decarbonization of real estate is key to fighting climate change and we must act on a European scale to build a sustainable future for the industry. As the first pan European low carbon level, LCBI label is a real opportunity to promote good low carbon practices in our sector and will become a useful reporting tool for mixed-used.“

Association BBCA
The French association BBCA provides the technical support needed for the initiative.

Stanislas Pottier

President of BBCA

“If we want to reach Net Zero by 2050, we have to get it right carbon wise in the coming 15 years and to do that, we have to change practices in the next 2 to 3 years. That means shaping a real CO2 accountancy and analysis framework for buildings, cities and portfolios. BBCA is glad to support this European Low Carbon Building initiative, contributing its technical expertise acquired over the last 6 years, in order to reach CO2 metrics and European Labels, in coordination with the undergoing work at EU level (Green Taxonomy, CSRD, NFRD…) and beyond (ISSB).”

39%

of global CO2 emissions

is due to real estate.

Source: Nickel Institute

Low Carbon Emission Initiative methodology

In short, LCBI is:

A pure carbon indicator over the entire life cycle of buildings (kgCO2e/m2)

Harmonizing the measurement and practice of LCA based on the European standards, measuring the embodied carbon as well as the operational carbon and the biogenic carbon stored in the building

Setting a clear performance pathway

Whilst promoting ambitious low carbon practices in the building sector compatible with both ESG reportings and design processes

Highlighting buildings with an exemplary carbon footprint

Addressing new built, renovation and restructuring as well as in-use projects. Covering all main real estate asset classes (starting with office, hotel and residential)