An Evaluation Method of the Building Decarbonization Process at the International Level

The anthropogenic greenhouse effect results from human activity that causes greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, the effects of which are now directly observable in terms of pollution and global warming. Among the negative consequences of rising global temperatures are the advancing processes of desertification, rising water levels, and biodiversity loss. The seriousness of the problem is underlined by the many plans and policies being implemented by governments internationally. The paper analyses the real estate sector’s responsibility for GHG emissions. The existing building stock, built before introducing energy efficiency measures, needs to be energetically renovated to meet the current requirements and performance standards that governments now demand. The paper presents an analysis of forecast data from the Carbon Risk Real Estate Monitor (CRREM) project, an EU-funded initiative to provide information on the decarbonization path to be followed by the existing building stock in 30 European countries. The study’s contribution is the construction of a Building Decarbonisation Performance Index (IBDP). The index was constructed using forecast data provided by the CRREM project, which were processed by implementing the operational logic of multi-criteria techniques. IBDP was designed with the objective of monitoring and assessing the degree of alignment between European countries and the decarbonization paths set by EU policies.