Reduction and regulation of embodied carbon emissions in the German building sector

Comparison of the options for Germany

Jakob Kamender - stock.adobe.com

In the context of buildings with increasingly low greenhouse gas emissions, the consideration of emissions from a life cycle perspective is becoming increasingly important. The focus here is on emissions caused by the production of building materials and the construction of buildings.  In Germany, the debate is conducted under the term "grey energy" or "grey emissions".

The project uses a meta-analysis to determine benchmarks for grey emissions for the three building types of detached and semi-detached houses, multi-family houses and office buildings using different construction methods. Based on this, scenarios are modelled that show possible development paths for grey emissions up to 2045. Finally, political recommendations for action are proposed, taking into account the current framework conditions in Germany and future requirements of the EU Buildings Directive (EPBD).