Public consultations

Recommendations for the development of Ireland’s Life-cycle Global Warming Potential (LC GWP) calculation Methodology and Ireland’s National embodied carbon Database of Building Materials to implement the provisions of Article 7(2) of the recast Energy Performance of Buildings Directive (EPBD) (EU/2024/1275).
 

Open for submissions from 14 April 2025.
Submissions closed 12 May 2025.

On this page:

1. Consultation overview
2. Why we are launching a Public Consultation
3. Documents
4. How to get involved
5. What will SEAI do with your response
6. Data Protection

Consultation overview

The aim of this public consultation is to gather stakeholder feedback on two reports and the draft SEAI Calculation Methodology.

• Recommendations on the development of Ireland’s LC GWP Calculation Methodology
• Ireland’s National embodied carbon Database of Building Materials
• Draft SEAI Life-Cycle Global Warming Potential Calculation Methodology (to follow later this week)

This is to implement the provisions of Article 7(2) of the recast EPBD. 

Report 1 ’Recommendation on Ireland’s LC GWP Methodology’

The objective of this report is to develop recommendations on a technical methodology for the calculation of the life-cycle GWP of buildings which can be applied in Ireland and support national alignment with the requirements outlined within Article 7(2) of the recast EPBD. Life cycle GWP, often referred to as Whole Life Carbon (WLC) is an indicator which quantifies the global warming potential of a building caused by carbon emissions along its full life cycle, including both operational and embodied emissions.

Report 2 ‘Recommendation on Ireland’s National EC Database of Building Materials’ 

The purpose of this report is to review and provide detailed guidance on the best approach for the development and maintenance of a centralised national database for all common building materials and their embodied carbon emissions.

Draft ‘SEAI Life-Cycle Global Warming Potential Calculation Methodology’

This document sets out SEAI’s technical methodology for assessing GWP of buildings along their entire life-cycle. This methodology is in compliance with the provisions of the recast EPBD, the draft Delegated Act amending Annex III of recast EPBD, and draft Guidance on the life-cycle Global Warming Potential of new buildings (Article 7(2), (5) of the recast EPBD). It incorporates recommendations from Report 1 and 2 above.

Why are we launching a public consultation

The Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI) is Ireland’s national energy authority investing in, and delivering, appropriate, effective and sustainable solutions to help Ireland’s transition to a clean energy future. Under the Climate Action Plan, by September 2025 SEAI is tasked with the development of Ireland’s LC GWP Methodology and Ireland’s National embodied carbon Database of Building Materials in compliance with Article 7(2) of the recast EPBD. SEAI have commissioned two separate reports detailing recommendations on each item’s development that are now being released for public consultation.

Documents

• Recommendation on Ireland’s LC GWP Methodology
• Recommendation on Ireland’s National EC Database of Building Materials

The draft SEAI Life-Cycle Global Warming Potential Calculation Methodology document will be released later this week.

How to get involved

Submissions and comments should be submitted through using the the ‘Template for Submissions’ document below only and sent by email to [email protected] using ‘Submissions on LC GWP’ in the subject line.

• Template for submissions

The closing date for submissions is 5.00pm Monday, 12 May 2025.

What will SEAI do with your response

Responses will inform the development of Ireland’s LC GWP calculation methodology and the approach to establish an Irish National Embodied Carbon Database of Building Materials. Please note that submissions received may be made available on the SEAI’s website. In any event, all submissions received will be subject to the provisions of the Freedom of Information Act and Data Protection legislation. See also the Privacy Statement under the Documents link above.

Personal, confidential or commercially sensitive information should not be included in your submission and it will be presumed that all information contained in your submission is releasable under the Freedom of Information Act 2014.

Data protection

SEAI will redact (remove) personal data before publication. Your data will be handled as per the SEAI Legal and Privacy Policy found via the below web link.