CBCA
Low Carbon Construction Site
The CBCA (Low Carbon Construction Site) label is managed by IRICE. Launching in 2026-2027, it aims to certify construction sites that control their carbon emissions. Efficarbone is the measurement tool that generates the data required by this label.
CBCA: the label that the construction site was missing
The BBCA (Low Carbon Building) label focuses on the overall carbon footprint of the building — materials, energy, and its entire life cycle. However, the construction phase itself (transport, machinery, waste, site facilities, and personal travel) represents a significant carbon footprint that, until now, has neither been measured nor valued in a standardized way.
The CBCA – Low Carbon Construction Site label , supported by IRICE, fills this gap. Its objective: to provide a framework for measuring, reducing and recognizing carbon performance specific to the construction phase.
CBCA in brief
- Certification Body — independent certification body, accredited by Cofrac under ISO/IEC 17065
- Launch 2026-2027 — pilot phase underway, methodology being finalized
- Site perimeter Ic_chantier — positions A4 to A9 according to EN 15978 nomenclature
- measurement tool is positioned as the tool that produces the data expected by the label.
Efficarbone: the CBCA measurement tool
Efficarbone measures the Ic_chantier — the carbon indicator for the construction phase — by covering the 6 categories defined by the EN 15978 nomenclature:
| Position EN 15978 | Content | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| A4 | Supplier supply | Transport of materials, distance, mode of transport |
| A5a | Site office/administrative | Living quarters, lighting, heating, consumables |
| A5b | Personal travel | Commuting between home and the worksite, modes of transport |
| A5c | Construction equipment | Cranes, excavators, compactors — fuel consumed |
| A5d | Waste and materials | Sorting, removal, processing, recovery |
| A5th | Living quarters and equipment | Water, sanitation, temporary facilities |
Each item is measured using the emission factors from the French National Ecological Transition Database (ADEME) . Efficarbone tracks the confidence level of each data point: actual measurement (invoice), documented estimate, or default value. This traceability is what allows the CBCA label to verify the results.
European BBCA via LCBI: the international window
The BBCA Association participates in the LCBI (Low Carbon Building Initiative) consortium, which is deploying a unified carbon building label in eight European countries: Germany, Belgium, Spain, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, and France. Publication of the methodology is planned for the end of 2026.
This European extension creates traction for internationally comparable carbon measurement tools . Efficarbone, with its ISO 14040/14044 methodology and traceable emission factors, can position itself as a complementary construction site measurement tool to the European BBCA label — particularly for public project owners in LCBI countries.
Priority R&D
Catalysts 2026: Why now?
Article 35 of the Climate Law — August 22, 2026
All public contracts must include at least one environmental award criterion. The construction site carbon footprint measured by Efficarbone is an objective criterion, defensible in pre-contractual summary proceedings.
Directive 2024/825 — September 27, 2026
Unverified carbon claims become illegal. An Efficarbone assessment with tracked ADEME factors constitutes documented proof.
RE2020 thresholds 2025 / 2028 / 2031
The measured Ic_chantier can replace the flat-rate values in the RE2020 calculation — leverage when the thresholds are tightened.
CBCA Label 2026-2027
The first label dedicated to construction carbon emissions. Pioneers who are already measuring will have access to historical data when the label is operational.
Frequently Asked Questions
The CBCA (Accredited Low Carbon Construction Site) label focuses on construction site carbon emissions (modules A4-A5, EN 15978). Effinature focuses on biodiversity. Both are managed by IRICE and can be combined for the same project to cover both climate and biodiversity.
The CBCA documents actual site emissions according to the EN 15978 standard. This data can be used in the RE2020 calculation for the Ic construction indicator. The label provides third-party traceability that building owners can use to demonstrate compliance with regulatory requirements.
The cost depends on the size and complexity of the project. Contact IRICE for a quote. The return on investment includes CSRD (ESRS E1) compliance, ESG valuation of the project, and documented control of site emissions.
Explore the carbon offer
Measure the carbon footprint of your construction sites
Efficarbone quantifies A4-A9 emissions using ADEME factors. Prepare for the CBCA label and the 2026 public procurement requirements.