Environmental and energy performance of buildings

Attention in the construction sector is increasing for the total environmental impact of buildings over the entire life cycle. This also raises the question of how material use and energy use can be better assessed in relation to each other.

On this page, you can read what is meant by the environmental and energy performance of buildings and how this concept relates to the current environmental performance calculation and the energy performance of buildings.

MEPG stands for environmental and energy performance of buildings. It is a method in which the environmental impact of construction materials and the energy use of buildings are assessed in relation to each other. The environmental performance calculation focuses on the environmental impact of materials. The energy use of buildings is calculated separately in accordance with NTA 8800. In practice, material use and energy use influence each other, for example through choices for insulation or installations.

With MEPG, these performances can be assessed in one integrated evaluation. The calculation method aligns with European developments such as WLC-GWP regarding the life cycle impact of buildings. However, WLC-GWP focuses on CO2 impact, while MEPG considers all 19 impact categories.

What is the environmental and energy performance of buildings?

The environmental and energy performance of buildings is a calculation method in which the environmental impact of materials and the energy use of buildings are assessed jointly.

In current practice, these performances are calculated separately:

The environmental performance calculation provides insight into the environmental impact of materials
The energy performance of buildings is calculated in accordance with NTA 8800
The results are assessed and benchmarked separately

An integrated approach considers these performances in relation to each other, enabling better alignment of design choices to ultimately achieve the lowest possible environmental impact

Definition

The environmental and energy performance of buildings is a calculation method in which the environmental impact of construction materials and the energy use of buildings are assessed jointly in order to provide better insight into the total environmental impact of a building.

Why is there a need for the environmental and energy performance of buildings?

Design choices in buildings often affect both material use and energy use.

For example:

Additional insulation can reduce energy use
Installations such as heat pumps or solar panels improve the energy performance
These solutions at the same time lead to additional material use

When material impact and energy use are assessed separately, this can lead to different optimisations. An integrated approach makes it possible to better compare the total environmental impact of design choices.

What data are required for an integrated assessment?

An integrated assessment of buildings requires different types of data.

Material data
Environmental data of construction products from the Dutch Environmental Database, based on life cycle assessments and recorded in environmental declarations.

Energy use
Energy data from energy performance calculations in accordance with NTA 8800.

Environmental impact of energy carriers
To translate energy use into environmental impact, environmental data of energy carriers are required. Environmental declarations are available for this within category 3a data of the Dutch Environmental Database.

By combining this information, the environmental impact of both materials and energy use can be assessed in relation to each other.

Developments in policy and European regulations

The discussion on the integrated assessment of buildings does not stand on its own. In Europe, attention is increasing for the climate impact of buildings over the entire life cycle.

Within European policy development and frameworks, there is a growing focus on the total impact of buildings, and the Netherlands is preparing the environmental performance system for these developments. In doing so, it is being examined how existing calculations and data sources can be better aligned.

Calculation methods such as the environmental and energy performance of buildings arise from this development towards an integrated assessment of buildings.

What does this mean for the Dutch Environmental Database?

The Dutch Environmental Database contains standardised environmental data of construction products used in environmental performance calculations.

In addition, the database includes environmental declarations for energy carriers, classified under category 3a. This makes it possible to link energy use from energy performance calculations to environmental impacts.

Reliable environmental data on materials and energy carriers therefore form an important basis for gaining insight into the integrated environmental impact of buildings.

In practice: what does this mean for you?

Do you work with environmental performance calculations or energy performance calculations? If so, it can be helpful to increasingly consider design choices in relation to each other.

For example, pay attention to: