Integrating circularity in LCA-based modelling frameworks for renovation of buildings (Built4People Partnership)

This Destination targets the energy demand side, notably a more efficient use of energy in buildings and industry. It contributes to the activities of the Strategic Energy Technology Plan (SET Plan) and its implementation working groups.

This Destination contributes directly to the Strategic Plan’s Key Strategic Orientations ‘Green transition’, ‘Digital transition’ and ‘A more resilient, competitive, inclusive and democratic Europe’.

In line with the Strategic Plan, the overall expected impact of this Destination is to contribute to the ‘Using energy in buildings and industry in an efficient, affordable and sustainable way’.

The main impacts to be generated by topics under this Destination are:

Highly energy-efficient and climate neutral European building stock

1. The energy performance of the European building stock is improved at an accelerated pace, contributing to the EU's energy security, while the buildings and the built environment have reduced climate and environmental impact throughout their life cycle.
2. The energy renovation and construction of buildings are cost-efficient, affordable and less disruptive.
3. The buildings are increasingly interacting with the users, energy system and their environment while operating in an integrated, resilient, secure, smart and flexible manner.
4. The buildings and the built environment are more climate resilient, accessible, inclusive and delivers multiple benefits which improve the quality of life, health and well-being for all users.

Industry

1. The energy efficiency of EU energy intensive industries is improved, their consumption of fossil fuel and their GHG and other pollutants emissions are drastically reduced, notably through cost-effective electrification, use of renewable energy, heat recovery, thereby preserving / enhancing their global competitiveness.

Legal entities established in China are not eligible to participate in both Research and Innovation Actions (RIAs) and Innovation Actions (IAs) falling under this destination. For additional information please see “Restrictions on the participation of legal entities established in China” found in General Annex B of the General Annexes.

Expected Outcome:

Project results are expected to contribute to all of the following expected outcomes:

• Demonstration of measurable reductions in material flows, life cycle energy use and GHG emissions in building renovations that integrate circularity strategies to contribute to achieving net-zero whole life carbon buildings;
• More robust approach to current modelling frameworks to comprehensively reflect the complexity of circularity strategies in life cycle assessments at building scale.

Scope:

European buildings are increasingly adopting circularity strategies in renovations to reduce life cycle environmental impacts and improve resource efficiency in response to the requirements based on current frameworks, such as Level(s) and WLC models used by Member States based and EN 15978 standard. The complexity of these circularity strategies, such as material reuse and recycling, and addressing the changing nature of assessed systems with long life cycles are critical for achieving more reliable assessment results. Further work is needed to advance and achieve more detailed modelling frameworks that integrate circularity assessment with life cycle assessment, supporting the delivery of net-zero whole-life carbon buildings.

Proposals should address all of the following:

• Develop a comprehensive modelling framework that integrates circularity assessment in life cycle, covering cradle to cradle system boundary;
• Apply the developed modelling framework to at least three real-life buildings in different climatic regions in different Member States or Associated Countries, for which renovation project developers have adopted ambitious circularity strategies to achieve zero whole-life carbon buildings. Circularity strategies should include reuse and/or recycle, as well as at least one of the following: reduce, repair, refurbish, remanufacture, and repurpose;
• Assess the embodied emissions (from materials, products, and construction processes) and operational emissions (from energy use for HVAC, DHW, electrical appliances, lighting) of the real-life buildings subjected to renovations during their entire life cycle, referencing life cycle stages in EN 15978.

This topic implements the co-programmed European Partnership on ‘People-centric sustainable built environment’ (Built4People). As such, projects resulting from this topic will be expected to contribute to the objectives of Built4People, transfer knowledge to its network of innovation clusters^[1] and report on results in support of the monitoring of the Built4People KPIs.

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[1] https://built4people.eu/b4pic_network/