Non-Dutch LCAs and EPDs in the NMD
Do you want to have a construction product from a foreign manufacturer included in the Dutch National Environmental Database (NMD)? If so, the underlying LCA or EPD must meet additional Dutch requirements. Taking these requirements into account too late in the process often leads to delays and extra costs during inclusion. This page explains what these requirements are and how you can address them at an early stage.
Construction products from foreign manufacturers can be included in the Dutch National Environmental Database, provided the LCA meets the Environmental Performance Assessment Method for Construction Works, in addition to EN 15804. Do not have an LCA or EPD yet? Draw it up according to the Dutch requirements, this will save you from having to make adjustments later. Already have an LCA or EPD? Go through the decision tree or checklist to see which adjustments are needed. Every adjusted dataset must be reviewed by an NMD-recognised LCA reviewer before inclusion is possible. Not sure about the outcome? Submit your question via the contact form.
Non-Dutch LCAs in the Dutch Environmental Database
Construction products from foreign (non-Dutch) manufacturers or industry associations can be included in the Dutch Environmental Database, provided that a Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) has been compiled in accordance with the Environmental Performance Assessment Method for Construction Works.
If a foreign LCA or Environmental Product Declaration (EPD) is already available, adjustments are often required to meet the Dutch data quality requirements. Taking this into account at an early stage can help avoid unnecessary delays and additional costs during the LCA study and the data inclusion process in the database.
Background
The European standard EN 15804 (A1+A2:2019) forms the basis for LCAs of construction products and for EPDs across Europe. In the Netherlands, there is also a statutory requirement for the environmental performance of buildings (MPG). To safeguard data quality and comparability, Stichting NMD sets additional data quality requirements, laid down in the Environmental Performance Assessment Method for Construction Works.
If your LCA or EPD meets these requirements, your data automatically aligns with the Dutch system and with existing data in the database, and you also meet EN 15804, meaning the data remains usable outside the Netherlands as well.
Step-by-step plan for inclusion in the Dutch Environmental Database
Read more here about the process of submitting data to the Dutch Environmental Database.
No LCA/EPD available yet
If no LCA or EPD has been compiled yet, the Dutch data quality requirements can be taken into account from an early stage. To have an LCA compiled for inclusion in the Dutch Environmental Database, you can contact one of our recognized LCA practitioners or the Association for LCAs in Construction (VLCA).
Have an LCA / EPD adjusted
An existing LCA or EPD must meet the Dutch data quality requirements in order to be included in the Dutch Environmental Database. The paragraph ‘Information for LCA practitioners’ below outlines a step-by-step plan for adapting an LCA / EPD for inclusion in the Dutch Environmental Database. These steps can be carried out by the original LCA practitioner. Alternatively, a recognized LCA practitioner listed by the Dutch Environmental Database can be selected, as they have more experience with the Dutch system and can ensure that all requirements are met.
Information for LCA practitioners
When a foreign manufacturer wishes to have a construction product included in the Dutch Environmental Database, the accompanying data must comply with the requirements set out in the Environmental Performance Assessment Method for Construction Works (Assessment Method). This methodology serves as a generic Product Category Rule (PCR) for construction products within the Dutch environmental performance framework.
This page explains the content-related additions imposed by the Assessment Method on top of the European standard EN 15804. To support this process, an interactive checklist is available.
Data requirements
The Assessment Method sets out various requirements, including for the use of:
- Background databases
- Transport distances
- Default waste scenarios
- Allocation
- Calculation method
The amount of work required to align an existing LCA with the Assessment Method depends on the nature and extent of the necessary adjustments. In many cases, existing LCI data can be reused, but a different calculation method may need to be applied, for example. If the correct version of the Ecoinvent background database has not been used, selecting the appropriate processes can be relatively labour-intensive.
Decision tree
To support LCA practitioners in checking whether data comply with the Assessment Method, a decision tree has been developed. The decision tree can be downloaded as a PDF at the bottom of this page. An interactive Excel file is also available, which guides users step by step through any necessary adjustments and refers to relevant web pages. Both documents are based on, and refer to, the Verification Checklist for inclusion in the Dutch Environmental Database issued by the Dutch programme operator MRPI (see downloads).
Adapting an LCA
The Excel checklist or decision tree will often identify one or more required adjustments to make the data suitable for inclusion in the Dutch Environmental Database. The manufacturer can choose to have these adjustments carried out by the original LCA practitioner or by a recognized LCA practitioner listed by the Dutch Environmental Database who is familiar with the Dutch environmental performance framework.
In both cases, it is mandatory for the adjusted data to be reviewed by a recognized LCA verifier before it can be included in the database.
Downloads
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