Life cycle environmental and cost modelling to support the development of national renovation roadmaps

Abstract

In the context of the European Green Deal, achieving a climate-neutral building stock by 2050 has become a key objective. The 2024-revision of the Energy Performance of Buildings Directive (EPBD) highlights this goal by requiring EU Member States to transform their long-Term renovation strategies into practical National Renovation Plans. The LIFE project GreenRenoV8 supports the practical implementation of the EPBD by developing a scalable, cost-effective methodology for deep, sustainable building renovation. By combining the environmental performance with the economic implications (both investment and life cycle cost), the project aims to identify the most cost-effective renovation strategies. GreenRenoV8 focuses on five EU Member States: Austria, Belgium (Flanders region), Greece, Italy and Slovenia. A stock modelling approach is used, starting with the identification of representative building archetypes per country. For each archetype, specific renovation strategies are developed and their life cycle environmental impact, investment cost and life cycle cost are assessed. The results are extrapolated to the national level to determine the most cost-effective measures and to prioritize these. The modelling moreover incorporates seismic resilience where required. This paper describes the approach taken within the GreenRenoV8 project to support evidence-based renovation planning that maximizes environmental impact reduction and cost-effectiveness across the EU.