Life Cycle Assessment - the key to Net Zero 2050?
Sustainable construction today means much more than just energy efficiency or renewable energies. The decisive lever for the climate lies not solely in the operation of a building, but above all in its creation: in the emissions that arise during raw material extraction, the manufacture of building materials and the construction process. These so-called "grey emissions" and the associated "embodied energy" are now the greatest influencing factor in Switzerland for achieving the climate targets in the building sector. This is exactly where life cycle assessment comes in.
What is a life cycle assessment
Life cycle assessment – internationally known as LCA – considers all environmental impacts of a building over its entire life cycle: from raw material extraction through production, transport and construction to use, deconstruction and disposal.
At its center are the emissions from the manufacture and replacement of materials – that is, those emissions that arise before and after a building's use phase. They are recorded as greenhouse gas emissions (GHGE), primary energy (renewable and non-renewable) and environmental impact points (UBP). In Switzerland, the methodology is based on the KBOB data (Coordination Conference of the Building and Property Bodies of Public Builders), which provides standardized assessment and calculation specifications.
For obtaining important sustainability labels such as Minergie, SNBS or SGNI (DGNB), life cycle assessment is today a central instrument for systematically recording and managing environmental impacts.
Europe is showing the way: the new EU Buildings Directive (EPBD) and the CSRD require building owners and companies to take a holistic view of emissions – including mandatory life cycle assessments for large projects. Countries such as France or the Netherlands are already setting hard CO₂e limit values.
This shift has long been having an effect on Switzerland as well.
Why act now – and not later
1. Responsibility along the entire value chain (Scope 3)
For building owners and project developers, indirect emissions (Scope 3) are becoming increasingly important. They arise outside the company's own operational boundaries – in supply chains, materials or construction processes – and account for the lion's share of the environmental impact.
Only a reliable life cycle assessment creates transparency here and shows where measures actually have an effect.
2. Regulatory pressure in Europe – with an impact on Switzerland
In Switzerland, life cycle assessment is (still) not legally required. Yet in Europe the pressure is rising: the EU Buildings Directive (EPBD) and the CSRD are increasingly making life cycle analyses the standard, especially for larger construction projects.
Although Switzerland is not an EU member, building owners and investors feel the pressure: capital flows and supply chains increasingly require transparent life cycle emissions.
3. Competitive advantage – those who assess early plan better
More and more architecture competitions require CO₂e metrics as early as the competition phase, not only during execution. Those who deliver reliable figures early gain a clear advantage.
But: the figures must be credible. What is calculated in a competition must hold up through implementation and certification. Those who establish reliable processes here win not only with juries, but also the trust of building owners.
What does life cycle assessment deliver – concrete benefits
A sound life cycle assessment is more than an environmental label. It creates tangible added value that directly affects market opportunities, costs and strategic planning. Building sustainably means not only conserving resources, but also competitive advantages and credibility.
- Value appreciation: Sustainable buildings are increasingly in demand on the Swiss real estate market. Investors reward climate-friendly projects with higher prices and better conditions.
- Reducing emissions and construction costs: Less material means fewer grey emissions and, at the same time, lower construction costs. Sustainability and economic efficiency go hand in hand.
- A material store for the future: Even if circularity is not yet fully integrated into the Swiss life cycle assessment, planning with deconstruction and reuse potential pays off in the long term. This creates a valuable material pool for future projects.
- Image and credibility: Building owners, developers and architects who take sustainability seriously strengthen their reputation as climate pioneers and win the trust of partners and customers.
Life cycle assessment as an integral planning process – not a last-minute afterthought
Far too often, life cycle assessment is perceived as a tiresome obligation for certificates or competitions, and is integrated into the project only late. That is a mistake. Only when life cycle assessment is part of the planning process from the very beginning – iterative, data-based and in balance with costs, comfort and space efficiency – does it unfold its full effect. This allows planners and building owners to make well-founded decisions, compare variants and find sustainable compromises. Life cycle assessment thus becomes a living management instrument – from the preliminary project to completion.
Conclusion: life cycle assessment belongs at the center of every plan
The climate targets in the building sector are ambitious and can hardly be achieved without a significant reduction of "grey emissions" and "embodied energy". Life cycle assessment is not the goal, but the tool for getting there.
For it to unfold its full potential, it must be used early, continuously and in connection with other planning goals – not as a tiresome obligation at the end, but as an integral part across all planning phases.
Modern digital tools like vyzn make exactly this possible: they integrate life cycle assessment into the BIM/3D model, enable fast variant comparisons, visualize environmental impacts and connect climate protection with economic efficiency and comfort.
This is how sustainability is thought ahead instead of added afterward.