About us
The Low Carbon Building Initiative (LCBI) is a European certification launched in 2022 to bring consistency, transparency, and ambition to carbon measurement and reduction in real estate. Founded by major players in the sector and initiated by the BBCA association, LCBI applies a robust life cycle analysis (LCA) methodology that evaluates a building’s carbon footprint from construction through operation to end-of-life. It covers all asset classes in new construction, including offices, housing, hotels, and soon, logistics.
About us
The LCBI label sets carbon performance thresholds on three criteria (Embodied carbon, Operational Carbon and Biogenic Carbon) and certifies projects at three levels: Standard, Performance, and Excellence. Audited by Bureau Veritas, it ensures credibility and comparability across borders, giving both public and private actors the tools to take meaningful climate action. Our methodology is aligned with EU standards and emphasizes total carbon transparency.
As Cécile Dap, LCBI’s Director, puts it: “We’ve pioneered a way to evaluate buildings across Europe and recognize those setting the highest standards.”
In 2025, LCBI partnered with Afilog and European stakeholders (AEW, Virtuo Industrial Property, GSE Group, LIDL, APRC, AXA IM, & Baytree) to co-develop the first low-carbon label specifically for logistics buildings. This move opens a new chapter in our mission—helping one of the most dynamic and energy-intensive sectors reduce its environmental impact in a measurable and scalable way across Europe.
Our Technical Experts
The Low Carbon Building Initiative is supported by a strong network of technical and scientific partners.
Technical Experts:
A dedicated Technical Commission, co-led by Artelia and Elioth by Egis, as well as ELAN for logistics topics, ensures the independence and scientific integrity of the initiative. This commission brings together top-tier experts in Life Cycle Assessment (LCA), building performance, and decarbonization strategies, ensuring the label is grounded in robust, measurable criteria
European Expert Group:
We also collaborate with leading European experts in the field, who contribute through dedicated working sessions, participate in specific Technical Commissions, or provide feedback on our ongoing developments during European Expert Group open meetings.
This collaborative technical framework guarantees that the LCBI label remains transparent, credible, and aligned with the latest European standards. It also allows the methodology to evolve with scientific advances and regulatory developments, reinforcing its role as a leading benchmark for low-carbon real estate in Europe.
Association BBCA
The French association BBCA, founded in 2015, brings together key low-carbon real estate players in France, including more than one hundred members such as two-thirds of the country’s 20 largest property developers, major architects, and investors. Among its honorary members is Jean Jouzel, climatologist and former vice-president of the IPCC. BBCA is the originator of the world’s first building carbon performance label (the BBCA label), which inspired French carbon regulations introduced in 2022.
It is also the initiator of LCBI, launched to bring a harmonized low-carbon certification to the European level.
Our Publications
INTERVIEW: Real estate pioneers move forward on low-carbon label, despite EU headwinds.
Real estate pioneers move forward on low-carbon label, despite EU headwinds. Read full interview May, 19th 2025 Despite recent EU moves to reduce corporate sustainability reporting requirements, LCBI sees the timing as an opportunity rather than an obstacle. EU law imposes transparency on European enterprise, though [...]
Virtuo, partenaire du premier label bas carbone logistique.
Virtuo, partenaire du premier label bas carbone logistique. Read full article April, 17th 2025 Depuis sa création, Virtuo place la durabilité au cœur de sa mission ; aujourd'hui l'entreprise s'associe à LCBI devenant partenaire du tout premier label bas carbone européen dédié aux actifs logistiques. Ce [...]
LCBI lance un label européen bas carbone pour la logistique, suite du partenariat avec Afilog
LCBI lance un label européen bas carbone pour la logistique, suite du partenariat avec Afilog. Read full article April, 22nd 2025 LCBI (Low Carbon Building Initiative) et de sa directrice Cécile Dap, prolonge le partenariat évoqué entre LCBI et Afilog. Ce partenariat connaît en effet une [...]
