What is an environmental declaration?

An environmental declaration contains the environmental data of a construction product based on a life cycle assessment. This data is registered in the Dutch Environmental Database and forms the basis for environmental performance calculations of buildings and infrastructure. Without these environmental declarations, a consistent and comparable calculation of the environmental performance of construction works is not possible.

An environmental declaration is a verified set of environmental data for a construction product, based on a life cycle assessment. The declaration is registered in the Dutch Environmental Database and used in environmental performance calculations, such as the MPG in the building sector and the MKI in the civil engineering sector. Manufacturers and trade associations register environmental declarations to ensure their products can be applied in projects and public procurement procedures.

What is an environmental declaration?

An environmental declaration contains the environmental data of a construction product over its entire life cycle. The data is based on a life cycle assessment and recorded in accordance with the applicable rules within the Dutch system. The environmental declaration enables products to be included in an environmental performance calculation in a uniform manner. This makes differences between materials visible during the design phase.

What is an environmental declaration used for?

Environmental declarations are applied in:

Environmental performance calculations of buildings
MKI calculations in the civil engineering sector
Design comparisons between materials
Public procurement procedures in which sustainability is a criterion

The environmental data from an environmental declaration is processed in calculation tools that operate in accordance with the Assessment Method for Environmental Performance of Construction Works.

Within the Dutch Environmental Database, a distinction is made between category 1, 2 and 3 environmental declarations. The difference relates to the origin of the data and whether it is generic or product specific.

Product- and brand-specific environmental declarations, often provided by manufacturers.
Verification: verified by an independent, qualified third party in accordance with the NMD Verification protocol.
Public access: the environmantal declaration is public, environmental information has restricted access.

Non-brand-specific data from groups of manufacturers and/or suppliers and industry associations.
Verification: verified by an independent, qualified third party in accordance with the Verification protocol, stating how representative it is, for example, for the Dutch Market or a group of producers.
Public access: the environmental declaration is public, environmental information has restricted access.

Non-proprietary data from Stichting National Environmental Database.
Verification: not verified according to the Verification protocol.
Public access: environmental declarations and basic profiles are public.

Proprietary data from Dutch Environmental Database Foundation. Data from infrastructure for external energy supply, energy carriers and product maps of building elements/installations to be reused in their entirety in newly built structures.
Verification: not reviewed according to the Review Protocol.
Publicity: environmental declarations and basic profiles public. 30% uplift factor not applicable.