Commission adopts new Staff Working Document to support life cycle decarbonisation of buildings

The Staff Working Document on ‘Supporting lifecycle approaches to decarbonise European buildings’ – or SWD (2026)93 – supports a better understanding of how emissions from buildings can be reduced over their entire life cycle.

By addressing both operational emissions and embodied carbon, the guidance shows how lifecycle-based policy measures can support decarbonisation at every stage of the building’s life (design, construction, operation, renovation and demolition).

As life-cycle approaches to buildings reduces dependencies on materials and energy imports, the approach strengthens Europe’s competitiveness. The SWD also complements Level(s) indicator 1.2 on Life‑cycle Global Warming Potential (GWP), which supports the consistent assessment of greenhouse gas emissions across all stages of a building’s life cycle.

Making existing buildings efficient

A key focus of the SWD is the repurposing and conversion of the existing building stock, including the transformation of vacant office buildings into social and affordable housing. This approach improves the supply and availability of housing while limiting unnecessary demolition and demand for new materials.

The guidance sets out how measures affecting material demand can complement the existing policy framework to achieve further emissions reductions. It places these measures in the broader context of the building stock as a whole, covering design, material supply, construction and operation in a carbon efficient manner and considering both the supply of and demand for materials, energy and built space.

Practical examples of buildings with life-cycle approaches

Climate action, industrial policy and housing challenges in Europe are intrinsically linked. To support implementation, the document includes examples of national, city and market level initiatives, offering inspiration for policymakers and practitioners seeking to apply a comprehensive lifecycle approach in different contexts.

The SWD sits at the crossroads of the 2025 Clean Industrial Deal, its roadmap for competitiveness and decarbonisation and the European Affordable Housing Package.

Read the SWD to discover how life-cycle approaches can help cut emissions and improve the efficiency of Europe’s existing building stock.