ROOTS, The First Real Estate Project Certified LCBI Excellence in Europe

ROOTS is the first European real estate project to obtain the LCBI Excellence certification, the highest level of this low-carbon certification. This marks a major milestone in the decarbonization of real estate in Europe.

LCBI, The European Low-Carbon Real Estate Label

On Tuesday, October 8th, during SIBCA, the Low-Carbon Real Estate Fair in Paris, ROOTS received the LCBI Excellence label, the highest level of low-carbon performance at the design stage.

« We are extremely proud that our ROOTS project is the first to achieve the LCBI certification at the Excellence level, the highest standard available. This success is built on the skills of our teams, who are passionate and determined to drive positive and sustainable change. »
Arnaud Regout, Managing Director of BPI Real Estate Luxembourg

LCBI (Low Carbon Building Initiative) is a new European label open to all real estate players, allowing them to compare the carbon footprint of buildings throughout their entire life cycle: from construction to operation and end of life. LCBI sets performance thresholds to highlight the most sustainable assets in the market. The methodology stems from a consultation and testing phase involving eight projects across Europe, including ROOTS as a pilot project.

Concretely, LCBI assesses three numerical indicators: embodied carbon (emissions over 50 years), operational carbon (based on energy consumption and sources), and biogenic carbon (use of bio-based materials).

ROOTS, Responsible Low-Carbon Wooden Construction in Belval

ROOTS performs particularly well thanks to the use of timber elements in its superstructure, sourced from sustainably managed and PEFC-certified forests. Trees capture CO2 through photosynthesis during their growth, where it remains trapped. With ROOTS incorporating a significant amount of wood in its construction (as measured by the LCBI biogenic carbon storage indicator of 159 kgCO2e/m²), this is equivalent to the carbon captured by a 22-hectare forest over 30 years!

Designed with bio-based and sustainable materials, used rationally, ROOTS minimizes its footprint while ensuring optimal comfort for its occupants. The design includes efficient insulation and cutting-edge energy production systems. Renewable energy sources, such as the rooftop photovoltaic installation, help reduce dependence on fossil fuels.

The development team has rationalized material usage and systematically prioritized lower-carbon options at every stage of the project, achieving an LCBI embodied carbon value of 755 kgCO2e/m². This has significantly reduced the embodied carbon, which accounts for a substantial portion of the overall carbon impact of a project. The savings made during construction are equivalent to nearly 35 years of carbon emissions required for the complex's energy operations, further illustrating the developers' commitment to decarbonizing real estate.

« We are pleased to award the first Excellence-level certification to ROOTS in Luxembourg. This is an outstanding project with very high low-carbon performance. Our role is to accelerate the decarbonization of real estate and enhance the value of low-carbon assets in Europe. »
Cécile DAP, CEO of LCBI

In addition to LCBI, ROOTS aligns with the European taxonomy (NZEB -10%) and aims for WELL Building Standard Gold certification, BREEAM Excellent, and Lenoz certifications.

The Project Stakeholders

ROOTS is co-developed by real estate developers BPI Real Estate Luxembourg and Unibra Real Estate.

« We have already worked together on the development of Gravity, a 25,000 m^² mixed-use complex delivered in spring 2023 in the centre of Differdange. We are delighted that this new collaboration is already being recognized with the LCBI distinction. »
Jean-Nicolas Montrieux, Chief Operating Officer of Unibra Real Estate

The architecture is designed by the ArtBuild Architects office, known for its expertise in timber construction. Special mention to the engineering firm Énergie et Environnement for their consultancy.

For more information, visit the website www.roots-belval.lu