LIFE showcases sustainable construction and renovation at Building Green 2025 – European Climate, Infrastructure and Environment Executive Agency

Report on European Green Construction Initiatives and Alignment with Sustainable Development Goals

1. Overview of the Building Green 2025 Conference

The Building Green 2025 conference in Copenhagen, Denmark, convened 10,000 professionals from the architecture, engineering, and construction (AEC) sectors to address the challenge of sustainable development in the built environment. The event’s central theme, ‘scaling and sufficiency,’ focused on balancing the need for new construction with planetary capacity, a core principle of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Experts from the LIFE Programme and 10 LIFE projects presented solutions aligned with climate, energy, and environmental targets.

2. Innovations for Sustainable Cities and Infrastructure (SDG 9 & SDG 11)

Multiple LIFE projects presented practical innovations aimed at building resilient infrastructure and fostering inclusive, safe, and sustainable cities and communities.

• LIFE COSME Reno: This project supports small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in transforming existing homes into energy-efficient and affordable living spaces. Project coordinator Amy Egerter noted this initiative turns “housing renovation into a collective movement toward a more sustainable and people-centred built environment,” directly contributing to SDG 11.
• More LIFE to LEVELs: By gathering data from 11 real-world building projects, this initiative demonstrates that sustainable buildings providing comfort, well-being, and resource savings are economically and technically feasible across the EU, supporting the development of sustainable infrastructure under SDG 9.
• LIFEBauhausingEurope: This project focuses on reimagining public buildings as catalysts for the sustainable transformation of their surrounding neighborhoods.

3. Advancing Affordable, Clean Energy and Climate Action (SDG 7 & SDG 13)

A significant focus was placed on technologies and strategies that advance energy efficiency and combat climate change, in line with SDG 7 and SDG 13.

• Energy Efficiency Solutions: Projects showcased innovations including energy retrofits, cooling roof tiles (LIFE SUPERHERO), and integrated thermal energy storage for zero-emission buildings (LIFE ITS4ZEB).
• Policy and Project Synergy: The LIFE Care4Climate project, coordinated by Slovenia’s Ministry of the Environment, Climate and Energy, is delivering “solutions for future buildings to meet today’s needs without compromising the needs of tomorrow,” directly addressing climate action targets.
• Collective Energy System Transition: The LIFE Street HP Reno project is developing approaches for collective switches to heat pumps in residential areas.

4. Promoting Resource Efficiency and Circular Economy Principles (SDG 6 & SDG 12)

Initiatives highlighted at the event demonstrated market-ready solutions for responsible consumption and production patterns and the sustainable management of water.

• Water Management (SDG 6): The LIFE ReUseWater project has developed a commercially viable shower system that reduces water use by 90% and energy for heating by 80%. The system also incorporates a method for flushing toilets with recycled water, exemplifying circularity and contributing to clean water and sanitation goals.
• Responsible Consumption and Production (SDG 12): The principles of upcycling and material efficiency were central. The LIFE AREC project focuses on empowering collective agro-renovation, while the LIFE CAPT-TILE project is developing CO2-capturing building tiles, promoting sustainable consumption and production.

5. Policy Alignment and Partnerships for the Goals (SDG 17)

The conference underscored the importance of collaboration and robust policy frameworks to achieve sustainable construction goals, reflecting the spirit of SDG 17.

• Funding and Investment: Since 2021, the EU has invested approximately €300 million in 75 LIFE projects focused on sustainable construction and renovation.
• Knowledge Sharing and Support: A dedicated session, Unlocking the Future: Navigating EU LIFE Funding – Essentials and Strategies, facilitated knowledge exchange. The EU BUILD UP initiative was also present to provide guidance and support.
• Regulatory Framework: All participating LIFE projects support a comprehensive suite of EU policies designed to drive the green transition. These include:

1. Energy Performance of Buildings Directive (EPBD)
2. Construction Products Regulation
3. Circular Economy Action Plan
4. European Green Deal
5. Fit for 55 Package
6. Energy Efficiency Directive
7. Renewable Energy Directive

SDGs Addressed in the Article

• SDG 6: Clean Water and Sanitation

  The article highlights innovations in water conservation within buildings, directly addressing the need for sustainable water management.

• SDG 7: Affordable and Clean Energy

  A central theme is energy efficiency in construction, including retrofitting existing homes and developing new energy-saving technologies to reduce energy consumption in buildings.

• SDG 9: Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure

  The article discusses fostering innovation within the construction industry, particularly by equipping small and medium enterprises (SMEs) with new tools and models to build sustainable infrastructure.

• SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities

  The core challenge presented is how to build enough housing and offices sustainably, creating affordable, liveable, and environmentally friendly urban environments.

• SDG 12: Responsible Consumption and Production

  The concepts of “upcycling” and “circularity” are mentioned, pointing towards sustainable management of materials, waste reduction, and the promotion of a circular economy in the construction sector.

• SDG 13: Climate Action

  The article explicitly links green construction with the need to meet “climate, energy and environmental targets” and reduce greenhouse gas emissions, framing the initiatives as part of a broader climate action strategy.

• SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals

  The text emphasizes collaboration through initiatives like the LIFE Programme, which brings together EU funding, Member States, and AEC professionals to achieve common sustainability goals.

Specific SDG Targets Identified

1. Target 6.4: Substantially increase water-use efficiency

   This target is directly addressed by the LIFE ReUseWater project, which developed a shower that “cuts water use by 90%” and a system to “flush toilets with recycled water,” demonstrating a significant increase in water efficiency in households.

2. Target 7.3: Double the global rate of improvement in energy efficiency

   The article focuses heavily on this target through projects like LIFE COSME Reno, which aims to scale up “deep energy-efficient renovations.” Specific technologies mentioned, such as “cooling roof tiles” and a shower that reduces “heating by 80%,” are practical examples of improving energy efficiency.

3. Target 9.4: Upgrade infrastructure and retrofit industries to make them sustainable

   The LIFE COSME Reno project supports this target by working “with small and medium enterprises (SMEs) across Europe to transform existing homes into energy-efficient, affordable and liveable spaces,” effectively retrofitting infrastructure for sustainability.

4. Target 11.1: Ensure access for all to adequate, safe and affordable housing

   The article’s central question is “how do we construct enough new houses, offices and other buildings to meet future needs.” Projects aim to create “affordable and liveable spaces,” directly contributing to the goal of providing adequate housing.

5. Target 12.5: Substantially reduce waste generation through prevention, reduction, recycling and reuse

   This target is reflected in the mention of “upcycling” and the LIFE ReUseWater project’s manager celebrating “real circularity!” by recycling shower water for toilets. This embodies the principles of reuse and waste reduction.

6. Target 13.2: Integrate climate change measures into national policies, strategies and planning

   The article shows this integration in action. The LIFE projects support EU-level policies like the “European Green Deal,” “Fit for 55 package,” and the “Energy Performance of Buildings Directive,” demonstrating how climate goals are being embedded into sectoral strategies for construction.

7. Target 17.17: Encourage and promote effective public, public-private and civil society partnerships

   The entire “Building Green 2025” event and the LIFE Programme are examples of this target. The article notes that “75 LIFE sustainable construction and renovation projects have been awarded around €300 million of EU investment,” showcasing a large-scale public-private partnership to advance sustainable construction.

Indicators for Measuring Progress

• Percentage reduction in water consumption

  The article provides a specific metric from the LIFE ReUseWater project: a shower that “cuts water use by 90%.” This quantifiable data point is a direct indicator of progress towards water efficiency.

• Percentage reduction in energy for heating

  A clear indicator is mentioned in the context of the innovative shower, which reduces “heating by 80%.” This measures progress in energy efficiency at the household level.

• Amount of investment in sustainable projects

  The article states that “some 75 LIFE sustainable construction and renovation projects have been awarded around €300 million of EU investment.” The amount of funding and the number of projects serve as indicators of the scale of partnerships and commitment.

• Number of renovated or newly built sustainable buildings

  While a total number is not given, the article implies this as a key metric. The More LIFE to LEVELs project gathers data from “11 real world building projects” to prove the feasibility of sustainable construction, suggesting that the number of such projects is a measure of success.

• Adoption of circular economy practices

  The implementation of technologies for “upcycling” and water recycling (“real circularity!”) serves as a qualitative indicator. Progress could be measured by the number of buildings incorporating such circular systems.

Summary Table: SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

Source: cinea.ec.europa.eu