The 2020 Energy Efficiency in Buildings report by the European Commission highlights that buildings account for 40% of energy consumption, with 75% of them being energy inefficient. Consequently, buildings renovation could reduce total EU energy consumption by 6% and carbon emissions by 5%. The ‘Do No Significant Harm’ (DNSH) principle, established under the EU Recovery and Resilience Facility (RRF) is fundamental to promoting sustainability in the building sector. Integrating the DNSH principle into building renovation projects can help lower CO2 emissions and enhance circularity in the built environment by encouraging the reuse of materials. Material reuse significantly contributes to achieving the six environmental objectives (EOs) outlined in the European Taxonomy Regulation. The growing use of biomaterials in construction represents an innovative step towards more sustainable buildings. As recent studies have shown, material recovery practices reduce the environmental impact associated with the production of new materials and help minimises waste. The evaluation of building renovation projects based on DNSH principle offers an integrated and innovative approach to addressing global climate challenges. This approach reduces environmental impacts, promotes responsible resource management and improves the well-being of inhabitants. By integrating economic and environmental sustainability into a comprehensive assessment, this evaluation framework enables a deeper analysis of interrelationships and overall impacts. The objective of this research is to develop a framework for applying the DNSH principle in building renovations projects. It compares guidelines adopted in various European and non-European contexts to identify their potential and challenges. The study aims to explore how implementing these guidelines can contribute to a more sustainable, resilient and future-oriented built environment through renovation and recovery interventions using innovative materials.