Timber construction as a carbon store: turn building materials into credits
Timber and other bio-based building materials store carbon for decades. The new EU methodology makes this storage certifiable for the first time – tgo AG takes you from the initial idea to the issued unit.
The EU is creating a new market for carbon stored in buildings
The Carbon Removal & Carbon Farming Regulation (CRCF, EU 2024/3012) establishes an EU-wide quality framework for carbon removals. A dedicated methodology for long-term biogenic carbon storage in buildings is currently being drafted – if you are prepared today, you secure the first-mover advantage.
Storage instead of emissions
Bio-based building components store atmospheric carbon over the entire service life of the building. It is precisely this effect that will be recognised and reported in future.
New revenue stream
Verified storage performance becomes certified units – additional value for manufacturers, developers and investors that can be marketed.
Documented with legal certainty
DoPCs under EU 2024/3110 and EPDs under EN 15804 provide the data basis. We turn them into an auditable quantity and carbon balance at building level.
An advantage for the entire construction value chain
Whether you produce, design, build or finance – the whole chain benefits from CRCF certification. We meet each party where they are.
Building material manufacturers
We make your products CRCF-ready with robust DoPC/EPD data and turn the stored carbon into a selling point.
Developers & project developers
As the operator of a construction project, you generate the certified units. We support you through eligibility, baseline, monitoring and audit.
Architects & specialist planners
We design projects to be CRCF-compliant from the outset – including proof of quantities per component and a bill of quantities for the audit.
Investors & financiers
Certified storage performance strengthens ESG profiles and green bond stories. We deliver the substance behind green finance.
What exactly is certified?
What is recognised is the biogenic carbon contained in eligible building materials installed in long-lived building components – minus the associated greenhouse gas emissions and a reference baseline.
Eligible building components
- Foundations & ground slab (substructure)
- Basement components & basement insulation
- Load-bearing structure: frames, floors, walls, roof structure
- Roof, floor, ceiling & wall insulation
- Expected service life of at least 35 years
Project requirements
- New office buildings / buildings with 4 or more storeys (standard baseline) – or a project-specific baseline
- Sustainability criteria met (see below)
- Expected building lifetime ≥ 35 years
- Complete quantity documentation of the building materials
- No double counting with permanent removal units (e.g. biochar)
From building material to carbon credit
Our proven path “From raw material to carbon credit” – applied to construction. You provide the project and the data; we manage the methodology, the evidence and the certification body.
Eligibility check
Check the project, components and products for CRCF eligibility.
Baseline
Set a standardised baseline (=0) or a project-specific reference building.
Quantification
Extrapolate DoPC/EPD data on storage & emissions per component.
Monitoring plan
Bill of quantities, drawings, quantity reconciliation & risk screening.
Re-certification audit
One-off audit after completion – units are issued.
Monitoring & revenue
Confirmation every 5 years, buffer pool, trading of the units.
What the methodology specifically requires
So that you know what matters – the key figures of the draft at a glance.
35 / 50 / 100 years
Selectable monitoring period – the longer it is, the higher the credited value.
3–15%
Share of units held as a safety buffer against reversal risks.
Sustainable timber
From sustainably managed forests and/or recycled, with chain of custody.
Modules A1–A5
From raw material to installation – these emissions are deducted.
Sustainability & quality
- Due diligence & chain of custody for wood products
- Recyclability maintained – no harmful treatments
- Pollutant limits, e.g. < 0.06 mg formaldehyde/m³ for insulation materials
- Data quality at least “fair” according to PEF criteria
Safety & liability
- Risk assessment: site, building & moisture risks
- Additionality: regulatory & financial viability test (for a project-specific baseline)
- Liability mechanism via buffer pool or insurance
- Monitoring report at least every 5 years during the use period
Three stages to your certificate
Start with a compact check and expand step by step – without risk and with a clear roadmap. That is how we at tgo like to work best.
Feasibility workshop
Clarity in just a few hours: is CRCF worthwhile for your project or product?
- Quick eligibility check of project & components
- Rough estimate of unit potential
- Identify gaps in DoPC/EPD data
- A concrete roadmap as the outcome
Full-service certification
We guide you end to end, all the way to the issued, tradable unit.
- Define baseline & reference building
- Quantification & auditable balance
- Prepare activity & monitoring plan
- Management of the certification body & audit
- Marketing of the units
Monitoring & revenue
Preserving value over the entire storage period – we keep track of the deadlines.
- Monitoring reports (every 5 years)
- Reversal & buffer management
- Reporting for ESG & green bonds
- Access to buyers & markets
Certifying carbon is our craft
We have been supporting the journey “From raw material to carbon credit” in agriculture and industry for years. We are now bringing the same methodological expertise to construction.
Experience & expertise
In-depth knowledge of carbon accounting, international standards and certification (including DEKRA).
Honest & transparent
Clear statements on effort, opportunities and limits. No greenwashing – auditable substance.
Tailor-made
Individual concepts depending on your role in the value chain – from manufacturer to investor.
Current status · October 2026
What is happening right now
The CRCF has three pillars: permanent removals (DACCS, BioCCS, biochar – Delegated Regulation (EU) 2026/285, in force since 7 May 2026), carbon farming and carbon storage in long-lasting products. The methodology for the third pillar, which includes buildings, is still pending. In Germany it is already being tested on real buildings:
DGNB & WoodenValley practice study
The German Sustainable Building Council (DGNB) and WoodenValley have been testing the CRCF on real buildings and infrastructure since October 2026 – covering data availability, effort and market readiness. In parallel, DGNB founded an “Alliance for CO₂ Removal in Construction” in September 2026.
CarbonLÄND v1.0 methodology
Developed in the TÝR research project of the Holzbau-Offensive Baden-Württemberg. Core: TNCRB = CRbaseline − CRproject − GHGassociated; 1 t CO₂e = 1 unit, 15% risk buffer, 50-year reference period with monitoring every five years.
- As things stand, bio-based materials in the load-bearing structure and insulation of new buildings are eligible; renovations are assessed in the study for information only.
- The life-cycle modules A1–A5 (raw material to installation) are accounted for. Timber must come from certified sustainable forestry.
- According to the project partners, certification of completed buildings is expected from the end of 2027; an EU-wide registry is planned by 2028.
- Biochar in building materials (e.g. in concrete or plaster): random reflectance microscopy is the only method that can assess the char separately within the composite. Double counting with permanent removal units is excluded.
In depth: Buildings as carbon stores – what the CRCF means. Our role: tgo AG follows these developments as a partner in the Interreg project Smart Carbon Farming and translates them into concrete steps for manufacturers, planners and developers.
Good to know
Can I have my building certified under the CRCF today?
No – the methodology for biogenic carbon storage in buildings is currently being drafted by the European Commission (as of October 2026: the European Commission has announced the delegated act for carbon storage in products for the fourth quarter of 2026). That is precisely why now is the best time to prepare: if you set up projects and product data in a CRCF-compliant way early on, you will be ready to go as soon as the methodology is finalised.
Which buildings are eligible?
Essentially new office buildings or buildings with four or more storeys (with a standardised baseline). Depending on the final option, other building types and renovations may also be included via a project-specific baseline. Components must have a service life of at least 35 years.
How much CO₂ does timber store?
As a guide value, one cubic metre of structural timber stores around 737 kg CO₂. The exact value depends on mass, density, moisture content and carbon content and is derived from the product’s DoPC or EPD. We will calculate this properly for your project.
What data do I need?
Above all, robust product data (DoPC under EU 2024/3110 or EPD under EN 15804), plus quantity documentation of the installed building materials (bill of quantities) and construction drawings. If data is missing, we will show you in the workshop how to close the gaps.
How long must storage be demonstrated?
The methodology provides for selectable periods of 35, 50 or 100 years. The longer the commitment, the higher the value – but also the safety buffer (3 % for 35 years up to 15 % for 100 years).
Let’s turn your building into climate protection that pays off
Book a no-obligation initial consultation. Together we will assess the potential in your projects and products.