As a statement of intent, she underlined how ‘the EU is the first continent to commit to climate neutrality by 2050, with a climate law, adopted in April, which sets in stone the carbon neutrality objective and the need to reduce emissions by 55 % by 2030.’

Emmanuelle made it clear that achieving this objective is only possible with the engagement of the buildings and construction sector, which accounts for half of all extracted materials, half of total energy consumption as well as one third of water consumption and waste. She drew specific attention to Level(s), which equips stakeholders to contribute to EU objectives, by providing a common language for monitoring and assessing the sustainability performance and circularity of buildings.

The Commission presentation was well received, with Magali Anderson, Chief Sustainability and Innovation Officer at Holcim (a global manufacturer of building materials) describing the EU focus on circular construction as ‘music to my ears’, considering the firm’s own full-lifecycle sustainability strategy and net-zero carbon commitments.