Climate-smart solutions
Carbon intensity is becoming a defining factor in office developments
In modern office developments, material selection is increasingly moving beyond decisions based solely on cost. Performance – particularly environmental performance – is becoming a defining consideration.
Life Cycle Assessment (LCA), which measures the total embodied carbon footprint of a building, is now directly influencing procurement strategies. Carbon footprint is no longer just a reporting metric, but one of the key criteria in supplier selection. LCA quantifies carbon dioxide emissions generated from the
production of construction materials through to the construction phase. Based on calculations prepared during the design stage, certain developments introduce specific, predefined embodied carbon limits for critical materials – particularly concrete – and make the use of Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs) mandatory.
Verified reduction in the second phase of H₂Offices in Budapest
This approach was also applied in the second phase of Skanska’s H2Offices office complex in Budapest, where the project team reduced embodied carbon emissions by more than 10% compared to the original design baseline, which had already been optimised for embodied carbon.
Within the project, LCA was not used as a post-reporting tool, but as a fundamental requirement embedded in procurement decisions.
Where technical properties were equal, the carbon footprint of products became the decisive selection factor.
“By making EPD certification mandatory, materials were evaluated not only based on technical and cost criteria, but also according to their embodied carbon footprint. When technical parameters were identical, the embodied carbon thresholds associated with products determined our choice – taking precedence over financial considerations,” said András Ábrahám, Project Director at Skanska Hungary.
Collaboration across the supply chain
The EPD requirement also had an impact on supplier relationships. In cases where manufacturers did not yet have certification, commitment-based agreements ensured that sufficient time was provided to prepare the necessary documentation.
For the currently under-construction second phase, more than 90% of the contracted EPD documentation has already been received. This both supports the credibility of the achieved embodied carbon reductions and enhances transparency across the supply chain.
Embedding measurable performance into core decisions
The integration of LCA-based thresholds and mandatory EPD documentation into development and construction processes signals a structural shift in the office market. Reducing embodied carbon is no longer merely an additional objective required for
certifications, but an integral part of decision-making. The direct linkage between environmental objectives and procurement decisions ensures that commitments are reflected in documented, measurable outcomes.
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András Ábrahám
Project Director