Preparing the Dutch environmental performance system for EU legislation

The upcoming European requirements for reporting the climate impact of buildings raise questions within the construction sector. What will change? What will stay the same? And how do these obligations relate to current Dutch practice?

From 2030 onwards, EU member states will be required to report the greenhouse gas emissions of new buildings over their entire life cycle. This obligation, laid down in the revised Energy Performance of Buildings Directive (EPBD IV), focuses on the Whole Life Cycle – Global Warming Potential (WLC-GWP).

The Netherlands does not need to start from scratch. With the Environmental Performance of Buildings (MPG), we already have a widely supported and well-functioning system for determining the environmental impacts of buildings, based on the Environmental Performance Assessment Method for Construction Works.

Stichting NMD, as administrator of this system, is working with the Ministry of the Interior and Kingdom Relations (VRO) to ensure alignment with European requirements. WLC-GWP is not a replacement, but an addition – a mandatory CO₂ indicator that calculates emissions over a fixed reference period of 50 years.

By building on the current system – including validated data, software integrations and review procedures – we create a solid foundation that supports both Dutch policy objectives and European obligations, without compromising on quality or usability for the Dutch construction sector.

What is WLC-GWP?

WLC-GWP stands for Whole Life Cycle Global Warming Potential. It refers to the total CO₂ emissions of a building across all life cycle stages – from production and construction to use, maintenance and end-of-life. The obligation to report this indicator is expected to apply to all EU member states from 2030, as laid down in the revised Energy Performance of Buildings Directive (EPBD IV).

MPG remains the foundation of environmental performance policy

The MPG has been part of Dutch building regulations since 2013. This calculation provides insight into the environmental performance of a building based on multiple environmental impact categories, aggregated into a single score.

The MPG continues to play a role in:

Procurement procedures in civil engineering (via the Environmental Cost Indicator, MKI)

Broader policy objectives such as circularity and resource efficiency

Preventing one-sided optimisation based solely on CO₂

Whereas WLC-GWP focuses exclusively on CO₂ emissions over the full life cycle of a building, the MPG takes into account multiple environmental impact categories, including climate change, resource use, acidification and particulate matter formation.

What does Stichting NMD do?

At the request of the Ministry of the Interior and Kingdom Relations (VRO), Stichting NMD is preparing for the introduction of WLC-GWP. This builds on the existing structure of the Assessment Method and the Dutch Environmental Database.

Stichting NMD:

works on the integration of European product data in line with the Construction Products Regulation (CPR)
investigates how European data can be responsibly applied within the Dutch context
safeguards quality, transparency and usability for practitioners involved in design, review and implementation

At the request of the Ministry of VRO, Stichting NMD is also exploring the development of an additional assessment method for WLC-GWP. This new method builds on the current system and is aligned with both Dutch practice and European requirements.

European data in the Dutch system

The European Commission is working on the implementation of digital product passports and harmonised environmental data under the Construction Products Regulation (CPR). This means that in the coming years, European product data will become available for use in construction calculations.

Stichting NMD is committed to:

making these data accessible via the Dutch Environmental Database in a responsible manner
clarifying the differences between European and national datasets
preventing users from relying on unverified sources of environmental data

Some questions remain regarding the coherence between systems and data sources, data quality, and practical applicability. Stichting NMD is therefore exploring potential solutions, in collaboration with organisations such as RWS and RVO.

Why act now?

The obligation will be introduced in phases: from 2028 for buildings larger than 1,000 m², and from 2030 for all new buildings. Manufacturers, designers and consultants are advised to start preparing now.

Without timely alignment: