Net Zero Carbon. Renovation – Europe
The Net Zero Carbon Renovation Europe report examines how building renovation can accelerate Europe’s transition towards climate neutrality. Led by Alliance HQE–GBC, AIA Environnement and Deerns, the study evaluates seven building typologies across France, Spain, Italy and the Netherlands using a Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) methodology adapted from the French RE2020 framework.
The analysis covers embodied carbon, operational carbon and Carbon Return Time (CRT), revealing substantial differences between countries. As the report states, “Carbon performance varies significantly per country, even for identical buildings, due to differences in local energy mixes, data availability, reference tools and regulatory approaches.” CRT results range from as little as six years to more than thirty‑five, depending on national context and renovation strategy.
The study highlights the lack of harmonisation in LCA methods, data scopes and regulatory frameworks across Europe, as well as the growing role of certification schemes such as HQE, LEED, BREEAM and VERDE in markets where regulation is still emerging. It also emphasises the importance of integrating whole‑life carbon considerations early in renovation planning to optimise both carbon and financial performance.
The report concludes with strategic recommendations, including expanding the scope of LCA, developing a European NZC roadmap and strengthening stakeholder engagement to accelerate low‑carbon renovation across the continent.
Authors:
Alliance HQE – GBC France
- Rachel Chermain (Coordination)
Deerns
- Ana Cunha (Coordination)
- David Alemany Gambau
- Laura Noguera
- Saskia Kommers
- Stijn van de Lande
- Linus Klaassen
- Roberto Zemignani
- Giambattista Brizzi
AIA Environnement
- Simon Davies (Coordination)
- Maxime Havard
Research Reviewers
GBC España
- Alfons Ventura
- Eulalia Figuerola
- Miguel Segovia
- Dutch Green Building Council (DGBC)
- Laetitia Nossek
- Martin Mooij
Green Building Italia
- Marco Caffi
- Valentina Marino
