Project type: Biomass
Project location: Germany, Switzerland, Austria
Project status: Underway, certificates not yet available
Annual sink capacity: 2’500 t CO₂e in2025
Our new climate protection project offers an innovative way for buildings to actively contribute to the removal and storage of CO₂. In collaboration with Openly, we are helping building owners in Germany, Austria and Switzerland to replace traditional building materials with biogenic alternatives such as wood, hemp, biochar and straw. Plants extract CO₂ from the atmosphere through photosynthesis, and this CO₂ remains stored in the building materials. This is significant step towards future-oriented construction and net zero!
The construction industry contributes significantly to CO₂ emissions. According to recent studies, the construction of buildings, especially those made of concrete and steel, generates up to 10% of annual greenhouse gas emissions in Switzerland, Germany and Austria. Façades and insulation materials, which often use environmentally harmful substances such as polyurethane and mineral wool, also contribute to these figures. However, many companies face a dilemma: cost pressure and low margins make it difficult to switch to environmentally friendly building materials. This is exactly where our support programme comes in: Biogenic building materials are not only ecological, they’re also a cost-effective alternative that can transform the construction process sustainably.
Biogenic building materials: sustainable in many ways
Concrete is inexpensive, but is rarely recycled and is very emissions-intensive. In contrast, biogenic building materials are not only lower in emissions and at the same time store CO₂, but are also easier to reuse. The latter aspect is crucial from a sustainability perspective: buildings made of biogenic building materials certified under the Global Construction C-Sink Standard by Carbon Standards International (CSI) can retain this status as long as the materials used are reused and recertified. Biogenic building materials also improve moisture balance and thus contribute to a better indoor climate.
Biogenic building materials as CO₂ stores in the building sector are the next major necessity on the road to net zero. Not only can the materials be produced sustainably and improve the indoor climate of a building; they can also be almost entirely recycled at the end of their service life. CO₂ storage, lower CO₂ emissions and the circular economy – transforming the construction industry brings all-round benefits.
Climate protection contribution to the future of the construction industry and our environment
To promote the use of biogenic building materials in the construction industry, our support programme provides funding to building owners to help them choose sustainable materials. This is made possible by our project partner Openly and the recognised carbon standard Construction C-Sink Standard, which offers a certified method for quantifying and storing CO₂ in building materials. The temporary carbon dioxide removals generated by the programme are sold on the voluntary climate protection market to support emission-intensive companies in their commitment to a net-zero society.
Partnership with Openly: pioneers of sustainable construction
Openly, a pioneer in the use of biogenic building materials, has incorporated its experience into the standard for the construction of apartment buildings developed by Carbon Standards International (CSI) in collaboration with the Ithaka Institute. The first certified building is the pioneering Valley Widnau. The standard is open to the public and represents an important basis for future construction projects. Openly is committed to making the building stock of the future net-zero. In collaboration with myclimate, Openly handles the certification and acts as a platform for all funded projects.
I founded Openly to transform the construction industry, one of the largest emitters of CO₂, into an active partner in climate protection. We use biogenic materials to turn buildings into carbon sinks.
Certification and monitoring by the CSI standard
The carbon sinks are calculated and certified via the CSI Global Registry. Openly accompanies each construction project as a C-Sink Manager throughout the construction phase, ensuring that all funding criteria are met and that the CO₂ is actually stored in the building. Compliance with standards is monitored through regular audits. In addition, projects are subject to spot checks to ensure that the CO₂ remains sequestered in the building.
*As at the end of 2024. myclimate is only financing part of this project. The following figures refer to the impact of the project as a whole. Find out in our FAQs how myclimate demonstrates these SDGs.
By 2030, reduce the negative environmental impacts of cities per capita through improved air quality and waste management.
Promote the sustainable production of biochar, hemp, straw, and other natural materials.
Reduce CO₂ emissions per building to support climate protection.
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