Environmental performance
The environmental performance of construction works is an important benchmark for a structure’s sustainability. The better the structure’s environmental performance, the lower its environmental impact.
According to the Building Decree, calculating environmental performance is mandatory in Civil and Utility Construction (C&U). In civil engineering, environmental performance is often being used as award criterion in tenders.
Is this subject new to you? Go to our NMD in short explanation! or watch the video in which Lotte talks about environmental performance. Don't forget to turn on the subtitles because the video is in Dutch.
The Environmental Performance of Buildings (MPG) helps design and construct buildings more sustainably. The MPG indicates the environmental impact of a building; the lower the MPG score, the more sustainable the building. The score is expressed in euros per square meter of gross floor area (GFA) per year. In the Netherlands, calculating the environmental performance of new buildings is mandatory. The method is described in the Environmental Performance Assessment Method for Construction Works, a standardized measurement method based on the European standard EN 15804.
MPG and MKI: what’s the difference?
- In the Building and Non-Residential Sector (B&U), the MPG is used to measure the environmental performance of buildings.
- In the Civil Engineering Sector (GWW), the Environmental Cost Indicator (MKI) is often used, which is based on the same methodology.
Choose from one of the topics below
Assessment Method
Learn more about the methodology for calculating the environmental performance of construction works
Environmental performance calculation
Learn more about how the environmental performance of a building is calculated and what is needed for an accurate assessment
Calculation tools
Discover which calculation tools you can use to assess the environmental performance of buildings.
NMD in short
Lotte briefly explains how the environmental impact of buildings is calculated and why this is important
Policy in the Netherlands and Europe
Learn more about Dutch and European policies and regulations in the construction sector.
Circular construction
Discover how circular construction contributes to reducing environmental impact and how the National Environmental Database (NMD) incorporates circularity into environmental performance calculations
Renovation and transformation
How do you apply environmental performance calculations in renovation and transformation projects?
FAQ on environmental performance calculation
Do you have questions about environmental performance, the MPG calculation, or circular construction? Find the answers to the most frequently asked questions here.
Example projects with very good environmental performance
Frequently askes questions Environmental performance calculation
The Environmental Performance of Buildings (EPB - MPG in Dutch) calculates the environmental impact of the materials used in a building. The 2012 Building Decree makes this calculation mandatory for B&U:
- new residential buildings
- residential buildings
- offices with a surface area of 100 m2 or more
Each environmental performance calculation must comply with the 'Bepalingsmethode Milieuprestatie gebouwen en GWW-werken'. This allows the environmental performance of an entire building to be determined based on the performance of the products and elements that make up the building.
It enables clients and architects to make sustainable choices based on a national calculation method and database.
The determination of the environmental performance of a structure can be performed with calculation tools that have been validated by the Stichtng NMD.
The EPB is used to calculate the environmental performance of structures. The environmental performance is an important measure of the sustainability of a structure.
Calculating environmental performance is mandatory in the building and civil engineering sector under the Building Decree. In the civil engineering sector, we see more and more clients including environmental performance as an award criterion in tenders.