In Brussels on 8 October 2024, the INDICATE LIFE project officially launched, marking a key milestone in Europe's efforts to advance sustainable building practices. This new initiative builds on the success of the INDICATE project, which concluded with the release of a final report by the Buildings Performance Institute Europe (BPIE).
The project was officially introduced at the closing event of the original INDICATE project in Brussels, where key stakeholders gathered to discuss the latest advancements in whole life carbon (WLC) data and sustainable building practices.
The report stresses the urgent need for EU Member States to develop national WLC methodologies and address critical data gaps ahead of the 2028 Global Warming Potential (GWP) measurement deadline.
INDICATE LIFE seeks to address these data gaps by providing valuable insights and developing methodologies that can support the creation of national WLC regulations. The project aims to align the construction sector with the EU's target of achieving carbon neutrality by 2050.
Simone Kongsbak, Partner and COO at Smith Innovation, stated:
"INDICATE LIFE responds to market gaps, methodological inconsistencies, and the lack of available LCA data at building level. This is crucial for EU countries to address national policy gaps within the construction sector and meet the requirements of the Energy Performance of Buildings Directive (EPBD). As the project coordinator of INDICATE LIFE, we at Smith are excited about the expertise and engagement from the national consortia uniting policy, industry, academia, and data providers."
The INDICATE project previously served as a pivotal accelerator for building-level WLC data in Czechia, Ireland, and Spain. INDICATE LIFE hopes to address critical gaps in Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) data in Austria, Croatia, Italy, Luxembourg, and Hungary.
Xavier Le Den, Market Director at Ramboll, commented:
"LCA data and benchmarks are essential for the building sector to achieve climate neutrality. The INDICATE project marks a major leap forward, focusing on three under-researched European countries and laying the groundwork for bold national strategies to reduce carbon emissions. I encourage the team to expand this critical work to countries where data and capacity to set LCA benchmarks are still lacking!"
INDICATE LIFE is designed to support the implementation of the updated Energy Performance of Buildings Directive (EPBD). The project brings together a consortium of leading European experts from industry, academia, data providers, and policy communities in Austria, Croatia, Italy, Luxembourg, and Hungary. Together, they hope to develop national WLC benchmarks that support science-based decarbonisation pathways for new construction and renovations.
Over its 26-month duration, INDICATE LIFE aims to provide guidance and technical support from specialists in policymaking, building LCA, WLC benchmark development, and industry engagement. The project also aims to gather crucial market and policy insights that will inform both national and EU-level WLC recommendations, alongside fostering collaboration through a peer-to-peer exchange platform for WLC professionals across Europe.
The INDICATE LIFE project is coordinated by Smith Innovation and supported by project partners BPIE, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven (KU Leuven), and the World Green Building Council (WorldGBC).
Find out more about the INDICATE project and explore BPIE's report, How to Establish Whole Life Carbon Benchmarks.'
About World Green Building Council
The World Green Building Council (WorldGBC) is the largest and most influential local-regional-global action network, leading the sustainable transformation to decarbonised and resilient built environments for everyone, everywhere.
Together, with over 75 Green Building Councils and industry partners from all around the world, they are driving systemic changes to:
- Address whole life carbon emissions of existing and new buildings
- Enable resilient, healthy, equitable and inclusive places
- Secure regenerative, resource efficient and waste-free built environments.
They work with businesses, organisations and governments to deliver on the ambitions of the Paris Agreement and UN Global Goals for Sustainable Development (SDGs).
Find out more www.worldgbc.org
If you would like to discuss this opportunity or have any questions, please contact Rachael Twigg, Communication Officer, WorldGBC at rtwigg@worldgbc.org.
About the INDICATE project
The INDICATE project operated as an accelerator program designed to establish a framework and provide co-funding for generating essential building-level whole life carbon data across Europe. This data was critical to align industry and policy action on decarbonising buildings with the 1.5°C target of the Paris Agreement.
INDICATE supported three EU countries Czechia, Ireland, and Spain in developing whole life carbon baselines for various building types, including new constructions and renovations. This initiative anticipated implementing the revised Energy Performance of Buildings Directive (EPBD). While some leading Member States had substantial experience in regulating the whole-life carbon impact.
About the INDICATE LIFE project
INDICATE LIFE is co-funded by the European Union and aims to lay the groundwork for national whole-life carbon (WLC) regulations across Europe. By addressing lifecycle emissions in buildings, the project seeks to align the construction sector with the goal of achieving carbon neutrality by 2050. It also aims to support the implementation of WLC provisions in the Energy Performance of Buildings Directive (EPBD).
Building on the success of the INDICATE project in Czechia, Ireland, and Spain, INDICATE LIFE focuses on filling data gaps in additional EU Member States, including Austria, Croatia, Italy, Luxembourg, and Hungary. The project brings together industry, academia, and policy experts to develop national WLC benchmarks supporting decarbonisation pathways for new construction and renovations.
INDICATE LIFE will collect market insights and provide technical support, contributing to policy recommendations that aim to shape future EU and national WLC standards. It also facilitates peer-to-peer exchanges, helping to inform common benchmarks and targets that can be refined over time in line with the EU's 2050 decarbonisation goals.
INDICATE LIFE is co-funded by the EU's LIFE programme under grant agreement No. 101167585.
