---
title: "Life-cycle global warming potential"
description: "Life-cycle GWP (EPBD IV): an indicator of a building's climate impact over its full life. On the certificate from 2028 for new buildings above 1,000 m²."
canonical: "https://gencompl.ai/glossary/life-cycle-global-warming-potential"
language: "en-US"
type: "Glossary term"
published: "2026-10-14T18:26:52.297Z"
modified: "2026-10-14T19:17:27.082Z"
---

# Life-cycle global warming potential

An indicator which quantifies the global warming potential contributions of a building along its full life cycle.

Also known as: life-cycle GWP, WLC-GWP

**What does "Life-cycle global warming potential" mean under EPBD IV?**

Defined in: [EPBD IV](https://gencompl.ai/regulations/epbd) (32024L1275)

[Home](https://gencompl.ai/) › [Glossary](https://gencompl.ai/glossary) › Life-cycle global warming potential

> An indicator which quantifies the global warming potential contributions of a building along its full life cycle

## Defined in / by

- [EPBD IV (32024L1275)](https://gencompl.ai/regulations/epbd), Article 2, point (25)

Last updated: 14 October 2026.

## The number on the certificate

Life-cycle GWP is the indicator the Directive uses to put a building's whole-life climate impact into one figure. Where whole-life-cycle greenhouse gas emissions in point (24) describe what is counted, life-cycle GWP is the measure that gets calculated and reported.

Article 7(2) makes it compulsory for new buildings. Member States must ensure that it is calculated in accordance with Annex III and disclosed in the energy performance certificate: from 1 January 2028 for all new buildings with a useful floor area larger than 1,000 m², and from 1 January 2030 for all new buildings. Article 7(4) lets Member States leave out buildings whose permit applications were already submitted by those dates.

The calculation framework changed in 2026. Article 7(3) gave the Commission the power to amend Annex III with a Union framework for the national calculation, and Delegated Regulation (EU) 2026/52 did so; according to EUR-Lex it entered into force on 24 May 2026.

The indicator is heading towards limits. By 1 January 2027 Member States must publish a roadmap for limit values on the total cumulative life-cycle GWP of all new buildings, with targets from 2030 (Article 7(5)). It also appears in the digital building logbook definition and may be taken into account in cost-optimal calculations (Article 6(2)).

In the Netherlands, the duty for new buildings above 1,000 m² sits in the draft second tranche, and RVO gives 1 January 2028 as the start. IPLO planned a separate consultation on the calculation method in the Omgevingsregeling for August to October 2026.

> **What we could not establish**
>
> Until national calculation rules are adopted under the new Annex III, results for the same building may not be comparable between Member States. This entry fixes the term. It does not decide whether the term catches your institution; counsel decides that.

## Questions and answers

### When must the life-cycle GWP be on the energy performance certificate?

From 1 January 2028 for new buildings with a useful floor area larger than 1,000 m², and from 1 January 2030 for all new buildings (Article 7(2) of EPBD IV).

### What does WLC-GWP mean?

Whole life-cycle global warming potential. Dutch government pages use it for the indicator that EPBD IV calls life-cycle GWP.

## Sources

- [Directive (EU) 2024/1275 on the energy performance of buildings (recast)](https://eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/dir/2024/1275/oj/eng) (EUR-Lex · 8 May 2024)
- [Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2026/52 amending Annex III to Directive (EU) 2024/1275](https://eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/reg_del/2026/52/oj/eng) (EUR-Lex · 4 May 2026)
- [EPBD IV](https://www.rvo.nl/onderwerpen/wetten-en-regels-gebouwen/epbd-iv) (RVO · 23 September 2026)
- [Tijdlijn ontwikkelingen EPBD IV](https://iplo.nl/thema/energiebesparing/ontwikkeling-wetgeving-energiebesparing/ontwikkelingen-europese-richtlijn-epbd-iv/tijdlijn-ontwikkelingen-epbd-iv/) (IPLO · 4 September 2026)

## Related content

### Regulation

- [Energy Performance of Buildings Directive (EPBD IV)](https://gencompl.ai/regulations/epbd): EPBD IV is Directive (EU) 2024/1275, the recast Energy Performance of Buildings Directive. The Netherlands put its first tranche into force on 29 May 2026 (Stb. 2026, 103), with duties staged to 2033: recharging points in existing car parks from 1 January 2027, solar and lighting control from 1 January 2028. Energy label D by 2030 is still a proposal.