About the EU Taxonomy Guidance for Buildings in Belgium

The EU Taxonomy is a classification system established by the European Union’s DG FISMA for its sustainable finance strategy to define which economic activities can be considered environmentally sustainable. In the context of the building sector, it provides clear criteria for construction, renovation and building operations that help guide investments toward sustainability and climate goals.   

This framework is especially important for financial institutions as they are required to report how ‘green’ their portfolios are under the EU Green Deal. The challenge today however is that each stakeholder has its own way of implementing the taxonomy. This is not only inefficient as it requires a lot of time and resources; it can also increase the likelihood of greenwashing or green buildings falling through the cracks, as the quality of reporting is not consistent.  

Belgium  is not the only country addressing this issue. Ten European Green Building Councils have joined forces under the Climate Positive Europe Alliance (CPEA) to promote a consistent interpretation of the EU Taxonomy across countries. Together with these other European GBCs, BGBC is engaging with the European Commission to improve the clarity, measurability, and simplicity of the EU Taxonomy’s technical screening criteria. More information on can be found on CPEA’s website. 

BGBC’s members, including Belgian banks brought together by FebelFin, dedicated their time and expertise to develop a standardised national guidance. Building on the European definition of sustainable construction, renovation, and acquisition, the guidance translates the EU Taxonomy’s technical screening criteria into the Belgian context. Clear definitions and simplified regulatory interpretations help establish a shared understanding of what qualifies as a green building, thereby facilitating consistent application by financial institutions.  

This ensures that the EU Taxonomy remains both ambitious and operational, enabling the market to act more effectively in the transition toward a sustainable built environment. 

The guidance is intended for any stakeholder who needs to refer to the EU Taxonomy technical criteria to demonstrate that a new construction, renovation, or building ownership can be considered sustainable.  

EU Taxonomy reporting obligations does not apply only to the financial sector; many construction and real estate companies are also affected indirectly through their value chains. Companies that are required to report often rely on partners such as builders and suppliers to meet the EU Taxonomy’s sustainability requirements.  Meanwhile, companies that are not legally required to report may still choose to do so voluntarily in order to communicate their sustainability performance. 

This guidance is a living document. It is based on the chapters from the formal Delegated Acts that are relevant to the construction and real estate sector. The legal and substantive basis derives from the Climate Delegated Act and the associated Annexes that were published in 2021. Visit the EU Taxonomy Compass for more information. 

It serves as a practical guide to help align building projects in Belgium with the requirements of the EU Taxonomy. It applies to new construction, renovation, and acquisition, and offers detailed guidance for each technical screening criterion. The guidance specifies the type of evidence that should be provided for validation (in the design phase) or verification (as-built). 

The guidance is rooted in real-world application as it is developed in close collaboration with BGBC’s members, that have hands on experience on EU Taxonomy, applicable Belgian best practices, regulations and legislation. 

By providing structured, transparent, and locally adapted guidance, this document aims to make regulatory alignment more accessible while contributing to the broader goal of a sustainable built environment in Belgium. 

The guidance is updated regularly to reflect EU and Belgian regulatory changes, market developments, and feedback from users. Each line of the guidance is marked with a version tracking number, allowing users to follow updates and evolutions over time. 

BGBC is the owner of the guidance. Updates are overseen by the BGBC EU Taxonomy Committee, which ensures alignment with European developments through the Climate Positive Europe Alliance (CPEA), where BGBC participates in the EU Taxonomy technical committee alongside other GBCs. 

Users can submit questions or feedback via the contact form on the BGBC website by selecting the topic “EU Taxonomy.” Submissions are reviewed and processed by the EU Taxonomy Committee. 

Feedback from financial institutions, builders, and other stakeholders is incorporated into revisions to improve clarity, usability, and consistency. Each line of the guidance is marked with a version tracking number, allowing users to follow updates and evolutions over time. 

The creation of an EU Taxonomy Committee further strengthens the robustness and continuity of this Belgian guidance. It reviews and implements feedback from users, keeps the guidance up to date as regulations and market expectations evolve, and ensures coherence with guidances development in other European countries through BGBC’s participation in the Climate Positive Europe Alliance (CPEA).  

The guidance was drafted thanks to the kind participation of