Abstract: Abstract This paper presents the historical development and background of life cycle assessment (LCA) and nearly zero-energy buildings in Germany. In order to plan and build responsibly for the future, it is necessary to have an overview of the topic at hand. Final energy demand during the operational phase of buildings has fallen steadily. According to European Union guidelines (2010/31/EU), starting in 2021 new buildings must achieve the nearly zero-energy standards. These buildings will have very low operational energy demand. As a consequen...
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Topics: 
Architectural engineering
Civil engineering
Environmental economics