tThis paper presents the historical development and background of life cycle assessment (LCA) and nearlyzero-energy buildings in Germany. In order to plan and build responsibly for the future, it is necessaryto have an overview of the topic at hand. Final energy demand during the operational phase of buildingshas fallen steadily. According to European Union guidelines (2010/31/EU), starting in 2021 new buildingsmust achieve the nearly zero-energy standards. These buildings will have very low operational energydemand. As a consequence of this requirement, the relative impact of construction and disposal increasesin terms of the entire life cycle. This is also the case currently for buildings with low operational energydemand. The research – based on a literature analysis and review – shows that LCA has existed since the1970s as a tool to judge potential environmental impacts. Moreover, the energy building standards inGermany have developed continuously since 1977. This process will continue in the new German EnergySaving Ordinance in 2014, which will be tightened even further in 2016. As LCA is well established andsustainable buildings are becoming increasingly common, the next indispensable step is to consider thelife cycle view of nearly zero-energy buildings