Embodied Carbon in Building Construction

Basel-Stadt's Klima-Aktionsplan includes groundbreaking measures on embodied carbon that go further than any other Swiss canton: Binding greenhouse gas emission limits for construction will be introduced by 2026, coupled with a cantonal CO2 steering tax (Lenkungsabgabe). Buildings exceeding the limits face higher costs. This makes Basel-Stadt the first Swiss canton to regulate embodied carbon at the cantonal level. A demolition compensation fee targets buildings younger than 60 years. Revenues flow into a compensation fund for Scope 3 emissions to finance further climate measures. This directly addresses the economic bias toward demolition over renovation by making premature teardowns financially unattractive. TEP Energy conducted a study specifically commissioned to evaluate Scope 3 emissions from the Basel-Stadt building stock, filling a gap in the original climate strategy. The canton now publishes Scope 1, 2, and 3 emissions data on a dedicated Klimaportal webpage. At the federal level, the revised Environmental Protection Act (January 2025) establishes a binding legal framework for circular economy in construction. Cantons must set embodied carbon limits: the current draft proposes 13 kg CO2-eq/m2/year for single-family homes and 12 kg CO2-eq/m2/year for multi-family homes. SIA 390/1 (published February 2024) provides the technical methodology aligned with a 1.5°C-compatible carbon budget. Basel-Stadt's trinational metropolitan area complicates Scope 3 accounting — construction materials are sourced across Swiss, French, and German supply chains, each with different carbon intensities and regulatory frameworks.