Roadmap WLC-GWP: phased introduction of CO2 requirements for buildings

The Dutch Ministry of the Interior and Kingdom Relations (BZK) has announced a roadmap for the introduction of WLC-GWP (Whole Life Cycle Global Warming Potential), the new European method for calculating a building's greenhouse gas emissions across its entire life cycle.

What is WLC-GWP?

The European directive on the energy performance of buildings (EPBD IV) introduces WLC-GWP as a method for making the greenhouse gas emissions of buildings insightful, from raw material extraction and production to demolition and material processing. Both the emissions from the building's energy use and the emissions from construction products and installations are included.

Phased introduction

The roadmap will be shared with the House of Representatives this autumn and must be submitted to the European Commission by 1 January 2027 at the latest. This will be followed by amendments to the Environmental Regulation (Omgevingsregeling) and the Environment and Planning Decree (Besluit bouwwerken leefomgeving), with a public consultation starting in early 2027.

Role of Stichting NMD

Version 0.9 of the WLC-GWP Assessment Method has been published by Stichting NMD, making it available to parties during the preparation of the WLC-GWP Roadmap.

Version 1.0 of the WLC-GWP Assessment Method is expected in early November. The validation round for calculation tools will then start, lasting six months. WLC-GWP is currently an optional calculation method: calculation tool owners are not obliged to implement it in their calculation tool.

Environmental Performance of Buildings

The current requirement for the Environmental Performance of Buildings (EPB) will remain in force until at least 2030. Nothing changes for EPB calculations.

Validated calculation tools

Once the validation round is completed, only calculation tools that have successfully completed this process may offer calculations under the WLC-GWP Assessment Method. Validation is not yet possible at this time: it will take place on the basis of the definitive version 1.0, expected in early November. A number of calculation tool owners have already developed a calculation tool in advance, based on the concept version 0.9. Users who want to start making WLC-GWP calculations now are advised to check which version of the Assessment Method a tool is based on and, once the validation round is completed, whether the tool has actually been validated by Stichting NMD.