Harmonised Carbon Limit Values for Buildings in Nordic Countries: Analysis of the Different Regulatory Needs

By 2025, the aim for all Nordic countries is to have mandatory life cycle GHG disclosures for buildings in place, leading up to the EPBD GHG disclosure introduced in 2028 and 2030. Denmark introduced a carbon limit in 2023 for large buildings, with Sweden and Finland planning to follow by 2025. Strategies vary, with Sweden and Norway starting with mandatory declarations in 2022 and Denmark introducing a limit value from the beginning alongside the climate declaration. Harmonizing methods for fair competition and stimulating low-carbon solutions is essential. Uniform reference areas and a minimum scope covering upfront carbon emissions are recommended for consistent assessments, alongside agreed definitions of biogenic carbon and compatible database structures for the national generic emission factors and building model classifications.