Bio-based Materials for Energy Efficiency in Buildings - Insights & Policy Recommendations from the BIOBUILD Horizon Europe Project

Buildings are responsible for around 40% of Europe’s energy consumption and 36% of greenhouse gas emissions. Most of that energy, nearly 80% in homes, is used toward heating and cooling. Reducing both operational and embodied emissions is essential to achieving the EU’s 2050 climate neutrality goals. The BIOBUILD project is developing next generation wood-based building materials that store and release heat naturally. By combining renewable wood, plant oils, lignin and mycelia with bio-based phase change materials (bioPCMs), BIOBUILD is creating composites that improve indoor comfort and reduce thermal energy use. BioPCMs are natural substances that absorb and release heat as they melt and solidify. Project results show that integrating bioPCMs into wood-based wallboards and flooring can reduce building energy demand by 6.5–12%, while maintaining environmental performance comparable to conventional wood panels. Beyond technical feasibility, BIOBUILD identifies regulatory gaps, scale-up challenges, and market barriers that currently limit adoption. The policy recommendations presented in this brief outline a phased pathway, from testing and pilot projects to regulatory integration, to support the uptake of bio-based, energy-efficient building materials across Europe. This is deliverable 7.3 Policy brief on eco-friendly and biobased building materials