Environmental performance calculation
In an environmental performance calculation, not only the building itself is considered, but also the components and facilities required for the construction work to function. This page explains which elements fall within the system boundaries of the environmental performance calculation and how these are addressed in the calculation.
The system boundaries determine which elements are included in the environmental performance calculation of a construction work. The Assessment Method for Environmental Performance of Construction Works specifies which construction products, installations and facilities are included in the calculation. In some cases, installations or facilities located outside the building but within the site boundary are also included within this scope.
The Assessment Method for Environmental Performance of Construction Works describes which elements fall within this scope. This includes not only the construction products and installations within the building itself, but also the facilities required for the construction work to function. This ensures that environmental performance calculations are carried out in a consistent and reproducible manner.
The design and the intended service life determine the construction products and building installations used and the number of replacements during the service life of the building.
Including external facilities
The system boundaries for environmental performance extend to the site boundary. Installations for external energy supply, as well as external sewer systems, are therefore included in the environmental performance under the Building Decree. For illustration, reference is made to the Information Sheet Building Decree 2012 regarding sewer systems and municipal water tasks. The images in this information sheet indicate the extent of the facilities within the site boundary that must therefore be included in the environmental performance calculation of the building.
Examples include:
- Installations for external energy supply
- Connections for energy supply
- External sewer systems within the site boundary
In practice, this means that components required for the building to function can also form part of the environmental performance calculation.
Installations for external energy supply
Installations for external energy supply, such as connections for gas, electricity or heat, must be included in the environmental performance calculation. These installations must also be included in the energy performance calculation. In the environmental performance calculation, an equivalent in material use is included for this purpose.
This includes, for example:
- Connections to energy infrastructure
- Central installations for the generation or conversion of energy
- Infrastructure required to transport energy to the building
Use of default values
For some installations, project specific data may not be available. In that case, so called default values can be used.
These default values are included in the Dutch Environmental Database and can be applied when the energy infrastructure or installations have not been specified for the project. The values are determined based on the calculated building related energy use that is entered into the environmental performance calculation.
Environmental impacts of energy use and material use considered together
Until now, the focus in sustainable construction has mainly been on energy savings for heating, cooling and similar functions. Energy saving measures in most cases require the use of additional materials and installations.
The materials required for these measures also have environmental impacts. As a result, the environmental benefits of energy saving measures can partly be reduced.
For this reason, it is important to consider energy use and material use together and to select measures in such a way that the total environmental impact of a building remains as low as possible.
Further details on the environmental performance calculation
The environmental performance calculation includes several more detailed aspects, such as the system boundaries of the calculation and the influence of design choices on the outcome. On the following pages you can read more about these aspects of the calculation.
Design choices and interpretation in the environmental performance calculation
Back to the environmental performance calculation
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.
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