Sustainable renovation - forming the future
Re-using existing structures and materials, minimising the amount of new materials used and favouring climate-friendly building materials are key to achieving climate targets. This can also have long-term cost benefits, so it is in the public interest, both environmentally and economically, to design and implement sustainable and circular renovation and construction projects.
Carbon dioxide is emitted not only during the operation of buildings, but also during manufacturing, transport, construction and at the end of the buildings' lifetime. These emissions, commonly referred to as embodied carbon, have been largely ignored in the past, although nowdays (2024) they account for around 11% of global carbon emissions. However, by 2050, CO2 emitted before a building is occupied will account for half of the total carbon footprint of new buildings.
SURF project aimed to support municipalities and other stakeholders to introduce and apply this approach.
Short factsheets produced help to familiarise you with the topic (see below the article, scrolling down), one on climate-friendly building materials and one on financing sustainable building renovation projects, both with detailed examples of good practice.
For a more in-depth exploration of the topics, check "Circular Buildings" training materials. The ppts and the recordings are available on the project's website in three topics:
