The 19 impact categories explained
A life cycle assessment examines the environmental effects of construction products using 19 environmental impact categories. This page explains what each category means and how together they form the environmental profile of a construction product.
For LCA practitioners, data owners and users of environmental data in the construction sector.
As of 1 July 2026, the environmental performance of buildings is calculated on the basis of 19 environmental impact categories (set A2, EN 15804+A2). Each category measures a specific environmental effect, such as climate change, acidification or toxicity. Together they form the environmental profile of a construction product, stored as an environmental declaration in the Dutch Environmental Database. Through the weighting set, these effects are converted into a single weighted environmental performance score.
A life cycle assessment (LCA) calculates the environmental impact of construction materials and products and results in an environmental profile, stored as an environmental declaration in the Dutch Environmental Database. This is done by examining the impact on different environmental impact categories. But what do these categories actually mean?
As of 1 July 2026, the EPB score is calculated on the basis of set A2 (EN 15804+A2), consisting of 19 environmental impact categories. Previously, 11 categories based on set A1 were used. The new set aligns with the Product Environmental Footprint (PEF), a method embraced by the European Commission to determine the environmental performance of products.
The main change in this transition is the adjustment of the environmental impact categories for acidification, eutrophication, photochemical ozone formation, human toxicity and ecotoxicity. Compared to the previous set, the new set has been divided into sub-indicators and additional indicators have been added. All 19 categories are explained below.
Watch the video: the 19 environmental impact categories explained
In this video, Stichting NMD explains what the 19 environmental impact categories of set A2 contain and how they contribute to the environmental profile of construction products.
Please note: enable English subtitles via the settings in the video player.
kg CO2-eq
Climate change - Total
Potential global warming from airborne greenhouse gas emissions. This environmental impact category is divided into 3 subcategories based on the source.
kg CO2-eq
Climate change - Fossil sources
Potential global warming from airborne fossil greenhouse gas emissions.
kg CO2-eq
Climate change - Biobased sources
Potential global warming from airborne biobased greenhouse gas emissions.
kg CO2-eq
Climate change - Land use changes
Potential global warming due to land use changes.
kg CFC11-eq
Ozone layer depletion
Ozone layer depletion concerns airborne emissions that cause destruction of the stratospheric ozone layer.
mol H+-eq
Acidification
Acidification involves the potential acidification of soil and water through the release of gases such as nitrogen oxides and sulphur oxides.
kg P-eq
Eutrophication of freshwater
Eutrophication of freshwater involves the enrichment of the freshwater ecosystem with nutrients through the emission of compounds containing nitrogen or phosphorus.
kg N-eq
Eutrophication of seawater
Eutrophication of seawater involves the enrichment of the marine ecosystem with nutrients through the emission of nitrogenous compounds.
mol N-eq
Eutrophication of land
Eutrophication of land involves the enrichment of the terrestrial ecosystem with nutrients through the emission of nitrogenous compounds.
kg NMVOC-eq
Photochemical oxidant formation (smog)
Photochemical oxidant formation involves the emission of gases that affect the formation of photochemical ozone in the lower atmosphere (smog), catalysed by sunlight.
kg Sb-eq
Depletion of abiotic resources minerals and metals
This concerns the depletion of natural non-fossil resources.
MJ, net cal. Val.
Depletion of abiotic resources fossil fuels
This concerns the depletion of natural fossil fuels.
m3 world eq. Deprived
Water use
Water use involves the relative amount of water used, based on regional water scarcity factors.
Ziekte-indicatie
Particulate matter formation
Emissions of particulate matter include the possible incidence of diseases due to particulate emissions.
kBq U235-eq
Ionising radiation
Ionising radiation involves the damage to human health and ecosystems caused by the emission of radionuclides.
CTUe
Aquatic ecotoxicity (freshwater)
This concerns the impact on freshwater organisms of toxic substances released into the environment.
CTUh
Human toxicity, carcinogenic
This concerns the impact on humans of carcinogenic toxic substances released into the environment.
CTUh
Human toxicity, non-carcinogenic
This concerns the impact on humans of non-carcinogenic toxic substances released into the environment.
Dimensieloos
Land use-related impact/soil quality
Land use involves the measurement of changes in soil quality (biotic production, erosion resistance, mechanical filtration).
Related topics
- As of 1 July 2026: revised Assessment Method and new EPB requirements in effect
- Weighting set and shadow costs
- Assessment Method for Environmental Performance of Buildings
- Overview of changes to the Assessment Method and EPB requirements
- View environmental declarations in the Dutch Environmental Database (Viewer)
- Information for LCA practitioners and verifiers
Frequently asked questions about the 19 environmental impact categories
With the revision of the standard EN 15804 to EN 15804+A2, environmental impact categories have been refined and new indicators have been added, including for toxicity and resource use. For example, climate change has been split into three separate indicators, and categories such as human toxicity and ecotoxicity have been further subdivided. This expansion provides a more detailed and complete representation of environmental effects than the previous set A1.
An environmental impact category describes one specific environmental effect resulting from emissions or resource use during the life cycle of a construction product, such as climate change, acidification or eutrophication. Each category is expressed in its own unit, for example kg CO2 equivalent for climate change or mol H+ equivalent for acidification. Together, the environmental impact categories form the environmental profile of a construction product.
Climate change is expressed in set A2 through four separate indicators: fossil, biobased, land use and land use change, and the total. Climate change (total) is the sum of these three individual indicators. The weighting factor for the total is informative but is not included separately in the ECI calculation to avoid double counting.