The hidden treasures of renovation : Results of the HQE Performance LCA renovation test

A Renovation Wave, which will accelerate the decarbonisation of buildings, is an initiative highlighted in the European Green Deal as an essential to achieving a carbon neutral Europe by 2050.

Buildings account for 40% of the European Union's energy consumption and 36% of its greenhouse gas emissions. It is time to act and reduce this footprint.

Key to addressing the environmental impact of the sector is reducing the whole-life carbon of buildings – which encompasses both embodied and operational emissions. However, there is currently a lack of methodology, and guidelines for measuring, reporting and optimising whole-life carbon in existing buildings. In this field, buildings professionals need guidance on how they can help to work towards the objectives of the Paris Agreement.

Alliance HQE-GBC, the alliance of professionals for a sustainable living environment, has identified two important barriers which the sector must overcome before it can decarbonise its existing buildings effectively: the technical barrier and the economic barrier. The purpose of this report, which is part of a wider programme, is to build the competence of industry stakeholders on this subject through case studies and show what can be done to remove these barriers.

After presenting the key principles of the methodology to perform LCA for renovated buildings, this document describes the first results and observations from the first HQE Performance test for renovated buildings. A case study is present in this document, to illustrate the first results for collective housing. This document highlights the need to continue the acquisition of knowledge, particularly in terms of best practice for the circular economy.

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