In the news / Europe’s decarbonization through the media’s lens – January 2026

February, 3rd 2026

January is a time for reflection: LCBI recently presented its assessment of the current situation in 2025 along with its objectives for 2026.

Over the past year, LCBI has focused on expanding the real estate decarbonization community. These collective efforts have led to new country partnerships and certifications, as well as increasingly close collaboration with European institutions.

See LCBI’s post on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/posts/lowcarbonbuilding_lcbi-data-2026-activity-7414226445582876672-ekdL/

In a recent LinkedIn post, LCBI announced progress on its logistics label, with the ComTech team leading the development of the first pan-European carbon label for logistics buildings. Building on lessons from pilot projects, this stage focuses on refining carbon calculation methods, establishing robust benchmarks, and setting ambitious yet achievable performance thresholds.

See LCBI’s post on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/posts/lowcarbonbuilding_lcbi-makingof-logistics-activity-7416758491983450112-TvnJ?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_desktop&rcm=ACoAAE2GLUgBeBZAZcNjCJH-vDlVdlAwzQ9hfLM

A New Year means new discoveries on Low-Carbon Building Materials

Bamboo: the future of construction?

A recent article in The Guardian draws on a report by the Institution of Structural Engineers, which identifies bamboo as a leading alternative to steel and concrete due to its durability, fast growth, and low carbon footprint.

Read the article: https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2026/jan/22/bamboo-architecture-construction-engineering-schools-airports-towers

Olive pit biochar, a low-carbon alternative for concrete production

Continuing the theme of low-carbon material innovation, an article in Olive Oil Times spotlights olive pit biochar as a promising low-carbon alternative for concrete production. Researchers from the Polytechnic University of Catalonia found that replacing natural sand in concrete with biochar from olive pits can reduce the carbon footprint of concrete production while delivering promising mechanical performance and improved resistance to water penetration.

Read the article: https://www.oliveoiltimes.com/business/olive-pit-biochar-shows-promise-as-low-carbon-alternative-in-concrete-production/143032

A podcast dedicated to low-carbon building materials!

Holcim UK launched a new podcast entitled The Material Matrix, dedicated to the future of building materials, low-carbon innovations and strategies for achieving net zero emissions. The first episode discusses the challenges and solutions for reducing carbon in materials (particularly cement).

Listen to the episode here: https://www.holcim.co.uk/news-and-resources/press-releases/New-Podcast-The-Material-Mix

At the European level, there is a real dynamic between research and investment in low-carbon construction.

The Line: the first low-carbon façade made with 100% recycled aluminium

In a video published by WICONA, real estate company Covivio presents the completed renovation of The Line office building, where a closed-loop window renovation saved 31.8 tonnes of CO? compared with a conventional European aluminium solution.

See the video of WICONA: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Myo7OuZv2QA&t=3s

Turn building materials into a carbon sink: Finland’s Carbonaide

The EU-startup highlighted the fundraising of 3.7 million euros for the Finnish startup Carbonaide, which has developed a technology that mineralises CO2 and permanently fixes it in concrete, to scale its operations and accelerate its initiatives.

Read the article: https://www.eu-startups.com/2026/01/finlands-carbonaide-raises-e3-7-million-to-turn-building-materials-into-a-carbon-sink/

Furthermore, the latest European regulations reflect progress towards decarbonization, particularly in buildings.

Promoting low-carbon building materials at the EU level

On the European Commission’s website, we learn that the European Commission has recently published a new common approach for calculating the global warming potential (GWP) of the life cycle of new buildings. This new regulation aims to ensure that EU countries use a comparable methodology for calculating GWP.

Read the article: https://energy.ec.europa.eu/news/commission-encourages-low-carbon-construction-materials-calculation-framework-life-cycle-global-2025-12-16_en

The Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism entered into force

A recent article published in The Guardian highlights the impact of CBAM on EU decarbonization and the competitiveness of European players. The article emphasises the moderate effect of this mechanism on prices, but its importance for decarbonization. Read the article here: https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2026/jan/01/eus-new-green-tariff-rules-on-high-carbon-goods-come-into-force

EU 2040 climate target

A look back at the agreement between the European Parliament and the Council on a target to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 90% by 2040, on the website of the European Parliament. Read the article to find out more about the terms that were negotiated between the co-legislators.

Read the article: https://www.europarl.europa.eu/news/en/press-room/20251208IPR32091/2040-climate-target-deal-on-a-90-emissions-reduction-in-eu-climate-law

The impact of data on low-carbon buildings

The episode of the Green Building Matters, “Scaling Low-Carbon Building Data for Real Impact with Jack Rusk”, explores how providing the right data at the right time enables architects and project teams to make meaningful progress toward carbon reduction goals.
Listen to the episode here: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/scaling-low-carbon-building-data-for-real-impact-with/id1346854349?i=1000745089050