Glossary
All terms and abbreviations within the NMD system, from A to Z
Terms
A t/m L
Allocation of incoming and outgoing process or product system flows if one process generates or processes several materials or products.
The Environmental Performance Assessment Method for Construction Works, or Assessment Method, is a uniform method to calculate the environmental performance of structures in an unambiguous, verifiable and reproducible way. This creates a level playing field for all involved stakeholders. > Read more about the Assessment Method
A process over which the producer/supplier of the product/process being assessed in the Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) has no direct influence and that takes place elsewhere in the chain; the production of electricity or a raw material, for instance.
Environmental profile as part of an Environmental Performance Declaration (EPD) that is submitted to the NMD together with the environmental declaration and can also be submitted to the process database, if desired.
Sets national rules for the construction, use and demolition of buildings in the Netherlands. The decree contains technical and functional requirements in the areas of safety, health, sustainability and energy use, for both residential and non-residential buildings.
A construction material that is directly or indirectly derived from biomass, i.e. material of biological origin, excluding raw materials from geological formations or fossil material. Biobased is therefore a subset of renewable (biotic only); abiotic materials can be renewable but not 'biobased'. Since 2026, the NTA 8230 series published by NEN gives the sector a uniform definition and determination method for the biobased content of a product, based on mass and demonstrated via isotope analysis or a material balance.
Lees het nieuwsbericht over de NTA 8230
Carbon obtained from or captured in biomass.
Material of biological origin excluding material embedded in geological formations and material transformed into fossil material.
Part of a structure (building or civil engineering structure) with a certain combination of products.
Examples include foundations, floor, roof, wall or systems.
Material that is delivered to the construction site separately (not formed, unpackaged) and poured or stored in a silo.
Examples include sand, gravel, soil, concrete mortar, etc.
One of two or more marketable materials, products or fuels from the same unit process that is not the subject of assessment during a Life Cycle Assessment (LCA).
NOTE: Co-products, by-products and products have the same status and are used to identify a number of main product flows from the same unit process. Waste is the only co-product, by-product and product output that is distinguished as not being a product.
Calculation tools are online proprietary calculation software used to calculate the environmental performance of construction works based on environmental data in the NMD. The calculation tools validated by Stichting NMD for calculating environmental performance can be found on the Calculation Tools page.
A calculation tool owner is an organisation or company responsible for the development, management, and updating of a calculation tool. Calculation tools are online, privately developed software used to assess the environmental performance of buildings, based on environmental data from the Dutch Environmental Database (NMD). Thecalculation tool owner ensures that the calculation tool complies with applicable standards and regulations, functions correctly, and remains up to date with the latest environmental data and calculation methodologies.
Resources, such as relief supplies, equipment and buildings required to carry out an activity and which are used repeatedly.
The depreciation of these resources takes place over several products. Examples of capital goods include factories and machinery.
An API that allows users to consult and apply category 3 environmental data from the Dutch Environmental Database in a low-threshold way, in addition to the existing system of validated calculation tools. Intended for exploration, not as a substitute for an official environmental performance calculation. Currently in beta.
Read more about the Category 3 Viewer API
Characterisation is a step in the establishment of a Life Cycle Assessment (LCA). After making an inventory of all extractions from nature and emissions into nature, the extractions and emissions must be translated into a potential environmental impact per environmental impact category (the indicators that describe the environmental impact and the use of raw materials). Different substances contribute to a certain effect to varying degrees. For example, the emission of 1 kg of methane has an effect on global warming 23 times stronger than 1 kg of CO2. 1 kg of nitrous oxide is 296 times stronger than 1 kg of CO2. The factors used to calculate all environmental impact categories have been determined by the Institute of Environmental Sciences (CML) in Leiden.
Circular construction is a way of designing, building and demolishing structures that focuses on closing material cycles, keeping materials in use for as long as possible and reapplying them in new construction. Environmental performance and circularity are closely linked but not the same: circular choices become visible in the environmental performance when they actually lead to lower environmental impacts, for example through reduced primary material use, extended service life or high-quality reuse.
Read more about circular constructionc
The environmental effect caused by the emission of greenhouse gases, expressed in kg CO2-eq.
A scheme under which producers of biobased construction materials can apply for compensation for having an environmental declaration prepared. Part of the "Filling the Gaps scheme". Linked to the Nationale Aanpak Biobased Bouwen (NABB), the Dutch government's national programme for scaling up biobased construction.
Read more.
A product manufactured or processed for incorporation in construction works. Construction products are made from one or more materials. A distinction is made between generic and specific construction products.
Construction waste includes:
- product loss due to breakage during transport;
- product loss due to damage/breakage at the construction site;
- sawing waste at the construction site;
- additional ordered material (to ensure a smooth process).
Losses due to incidents during the use phase (roof tiles blown off, broken glass) are not considered to be construction waste.
All construction works or structures that are constructed or result from construction activities. This includes buildings and structures in earthworks, road, rail and hydraulic engineering sectors.
Four concrete collaboration agreements between Stichting NMD, digiGO and other chain partners, aimed at making environmental data more available throughout the construction chain:
- making environmental data available early in the design process
- linking environmental data to the ETIM classification
- enabling international EPDs to be used within the Dutch MPG calculation
- controlled disclosure of environmental data at product and cross-section level
The digiDeals give substance to Sub-measure 10.5 of the Digital Built Environment Administrative Agreement.
DigiGO is the platform for digital collaboration in the built environment: a network by, for and of professionals in the design, construction and technical sectors. Stichting NMD actively participates in this network and contributes to initiatives aimed at improving the digital exchange of environmental data in the construction chain. On 16 October 2024, Stichting NMD signed the DigiGO Administrative Agreement, in which around forty sector parties agreed to exchange data in the built environment in a uniform and reliable way.
Read more about DigiGO
Disassembly potential is the extent to which objects are disassemblable at all scales within structures so that the object can retain its function and high-quality reuse is achievable.
The Dutch Environmental Database is the central database of environmental declarations for construction products and materials. The database contains environmental data used for environmental performance calculations of construction works, and together with the Environmental Performance Assessment Method for Construction Works forms the basis of the Dutch system. The database is managed by the independent Stichting Nationale Milieudatabase.
Read more about the environmental database
The Ecoinvent database is an extensive life cycle database. It provides a wealth of intervention-level data on production processes, energy generation and transport in Europe. Many Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) practitioners use this database. It is the standard for average environmental information in Western Europe. Data from the Ecoinvent database can also be used to calculate particulate matter formation and land use effects. Various materials are, however, not representative for Dutch production, such as concrete, sand, brick, construction steel, aerated concrete and limestone.
The first two digits of the elements in a building are coded according to NL-SfB (e.g. element group code 31: exterior wall openings). The NL-SfB code has been supplemented with its own coding (31.XX.YYY) for further subdivision into elements and products.
Division according to waste treatment/destination of a material/application combination. Processing options include landfill, incineration and recycling (with or without reprocessing). Read more about End-of-life scenarios
A calculation method that considers a building's environmental performance (material-related impact) and energy performance in relation to each other. The Dutch Environmental Database contains environmental declarations of energy carriers (electricity, heat, fuels) for this purpose, classified under category 3a, which allow energy use from energy performance calculations to be linked to environmental impacts. This is an optional calculation: no implementation in calculation tools is currently available.
Read more about Environmental and energy performance of buildings
A Life Cycle Assessment calculates the environmental impact of a material, product or structure. These environmental effects (together the environmental profile) are first weighted before being aggregated to one integral figure: the environmental cost in euros. The environmental costs are also known as shadow pricing.
An environmental declaration (formerly product card )in the NMD contains information about a product (materials, quantities per FU, service life (cycles), emissions during use phase, construction waste and end-of-life scenarios).
Category representing an environmental aspect, to which results from an LCI can be assigned.
Examples include resource depletion, increased greenhouse effect and human toxicity.
A flow that has been extracted from the environmental system and enters an economic system unprocessed, or a flow that leaves an economic system and enters the environmental system unprocessed. Examples include extraction of raw materials, extraction of land, emissions and noise emissions.
Performance with respect to environmental impact and environmental aspects.
Two separate Assessment Methods are available for renovation, transformation and maintenance, each with its own scope:
- MPG R&T (Assessment Method Environmental Performance Renovation & Transformation): for renovation and transformation projects, at building level.
- MPO (Assessment Method Environmental Performance Maintenance): for maintenance and refurbishment interventions, at element level (e.g. a single facade or roof, rather than the whole building).
Neither method is currently legally mandatory, but both can be used for design choices, tenders, and ESG or CSRD reporting.Read more on Environmental performance of existing buildings
The outcome of an LCA study is an environmental profile: A list of environmental effects expressed in various environmental impact categories. Examples include resource depletion, global warming potential and ozone layer depletion. The environmental profile shows which environmental impacts play the most important role in the life cycle of the product being assessed.
European directive on the energy performance of buildings (EPBD). This directive sets requirements for energy efficiency and (recently revised) also for reporting on the life-cycle greenhouse gas emissions of buildings.
An Environmental Product Declaration indicates a product’s quantified environmental data. The declaration is prepared based on a Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) carried out in accordance with the international standard ISO 14025 (type III environmental declarations).
The Filling the Gaps Compensation Scheme (Witte Vlekken vergoedingsregeling) was launched in May 2022. With this project, Stichting NMD aims to increase the number of category 1 and 2 environmental statements. Subject to their meeting the conditions, producers of construction products and materials can apply for compensation of €2,500 for commissioning an LCA.
Quantified functional requirements and/or technical requirements for a building or an assembled system (parts of structures) used as a basis for comparison.
An LCA is produced to compare the environmental impact of materials, products and elements. A unit of comparison, the functional unit, is determined to enable a comparison of the material, product or element. The functional unit provides quantified information about service life, use and application conditions. For a comparison it is relevant whether a product has a service life of 10, 25 or even 75 years. It indicates how often a product will have to be replaced within a building’s reference service life. The use and application conditions are also important. How much paint is needed per square metre to obtain a protective layer that can sufficiently withstand weathering? How much insulation is used to achieve a thermal resistance of 5 m²∙K/W? Certain conditions can also be important during use. For example, the functional unit of a roofing system for a flat roof is indicated by the thickness of the material per square metre. The size and slope of the roof are also described.
Generic data are data that are considered representative for a certain product or product group. These data are determined by the NMD management organisation but are not verified in accordance with the NMD Verification Protocol. ‘Generic data’ refers to data from NMD category 3. The data are based on public data sources or on verified data from producers or sectors, as long as consent for data use has been given.
Environmental data are only included in the NMD if supplied by a producer or a supplier. The NMD Verification Protocol states which data should be collected. The person collecting these data in a Life Cycle Assessment is designated as an LCA practitioner. The producer or supplier appoints the LCA practitioner. The LCA practitioner can be from the producer or supplier’s own organisation or can be external, such as employees from specialist advice agencies.
The identification and evaluation of incoming and outgoing flows, and potential environmental impacts of a product system during its life cycle.
M t/m Z
Materials for recycling are materials that result from a waste or other treatment process and have reached the end-of-waste phase. Materials for recycling can be used in another product system as secondary material.
Software instrument to determine a building’s sustainability performance. Municipal Practice Guideline for Buildings (GPR) has five themes, Energy, Environment, Health, Use Quality and Future Value, which are all expressed as a rating (1-10). The Municipal Practice Guideline for Buildings (GPR) uses the Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) method for the energy theme. Another theme is material use, for which GPR uses the Energy Performance of Building’s (EPB) method. When the Municipal Practice Guideline for Buildings (GPR) is applied integrally, it automatically includes a simple EPC calculation and a complete EPB calculation.
National programme run by the Ministries of BZK, IenW, LNV and EZK, launched in November 2023, aimed at scaling up the cultivation, processing and application of biobased construction materials in the Netherlands. The goal is for at least 30% of new-build homes to be realised with at least 30% biobased materials by 2030. The NMD connects to this through the "Biobased in the NMD" programme, which is included in the Filling the Gaps compensation scheme.
The entry platform is intended for LCA practitioners who enter environmental data for an environmental declaration in the Dutch Environmental Database. Only authorised users have access. Recognized LCA reviewers use the same platform to verify and publish the submitted data. Not to be confused with the NMD Viewer, which is for browsing already-published environmental declarations, not for data entry.
Read more about the NMD entry platform
Stichting NMD's quality and verification protocol for environmental data. It sets out the requirements that submitted LCA data must meet and how this data is verified by a recognized LCA reviewer prior to inclusion in the National Environmental Database. This protocol safeguards the uniformity and reliability of data in the NMD.
The NMD Viewer provides access to the environmental declarations published in the Dutch Environmental Database. Users can search by name or category to see which environmental declarations have been included in the NMD. The viewer is not intended for making MPG or ECI calculations; for this, the NMD refers to the calculation tools.
Energy from sources that are not defined as renewable energy sources.
Raw materials that exist in finite amounts that cannot be replenished in a human timescale
The Dutch Technical Agreement "Energy performance of buildings: Determination method", the calculation method used to determine the energy performance of buildings (BENG). NTA 8800 replaced the earlier NEN 7120 as the determination method for BENG requirements on 1 January 2021. Not to be confused with the Assessment Method for Environmental Performance of Construction Works: NTA 8800 covers energy performance, while the Assessment Method covers material-related environmental performance (MPG/ECI). Both feed into the combined MEPG calculation.
Construction material that is produced from primary raw materials.
A production process based on raw materials.
Raw material that is produced by the earth and is used by people for the production of materials and products.
A database with a collection of basic processes managed by Stichting NMD. The category 3 basic profiles are generated via the process database.
Products marketed by the supplier and purchased by the buyer for use during a structure’s life cycle. A product can be a physical product (e.g. 1 m2 of window frame), but also an activity (e.g. 1 tkm of rail transport).
The term product card was replaced by environmental declaration in July 2023.
Group of construction products that can fulfil equivalent functions.
Set of specific regulations, requirements and guidelines for the development of type III environmental statements for one or more product categories.
Category 1: brand-specific environmental declarations, often supplied by manufacturers. Verified by an independent, qualified third party per the NMD Verification Protocol. Environmental declaration public, environmental information restricted.
Category 2: non-proprietary data from groups of manufacturers/suppliers/sectors, with representativeness stated. Verified per the Verification Protocol. Environmental declaration public, environmental information restricted.
Category 3: non-proprietary data from Stichting NMD. Not verified per the Verification Protocol. Environmental declarations and basic profiles public. Surcharge factor: 30%, as an incentive to supply product-specific data (category 1 or 2).
Category 3a: non-proprietary data for externally supplied energy carriers (electricity, gas, heat, fuels) and flat-rate data for the material-related impact of energy carriers. Owned and managed by Stichting NMD. Not verified per the Verification Protocol. Environmental declarations and basic profiles public. 30% surcharge factor does not apply.
Read more on the Product information categories page.
Collection of unit processes with procedures (emissions and extractions) and product flows that fulfil one or more defined functions describing the life cycle of a product.
The raw material equivalent indicates the extent to which a primary production process (input module A, which can also contain secondary
raw materials) can replace the relevant secondary raw material as they are technically equivalent.
This term was replaced by Recognized LCA reviewer as of 1 July 2024.
Category 1 and 2 data must be prepared by a person with the appropriate work experience and knowledge. An LCA practitioner can be certified if they meet the following work experience and knowledge requirements. An LCA practitioner may be certified for this, but is not required to be: certification is not mandatory for a practitioner to prepare category 1 or 2 data.
The LCA practitioner has sufficient work experience to independently and responsibly conduct a Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) for materials and raw materials used in the Residential & Non-Residential (B&U) and/or Civil Engineering (GWW) sectors.
- The LCA practitioner has knowledge of construction products.
- The LCA practitioner is familiar with the Assessment Method, EN 15804, and underlying standards ISO 14040/44 and ISO 14025.
- The LCA practitioner knows how to apply relevant Product Category Rules (PCRs).
This is in contrast to an LCA reviewer, who must always be certified: only a reviewer recognized by Stichting NMD is permitted to verify environmental data for inclusion in the NMD.
Environmental data that are offered by a producer or supplier for inclusion in the National Environmental Database are verified by an NMD recognized LCA reviewer. The recognized LCA reviewer verifies checks the data according to the NMD Verification Protocol. This expert is a third party, independent of the producer or supplier.
The LCA reviewer is designated by Stichting NMD and is listed on the Recognized LCA reviewers list.
Recovering materials and raw materials from discarded products and reusing them to make products.
A construction product’s service life known under certain conditions. This provides a reference of conditions for use that can serve as a basis for estimating the service life under other use conditions.
A construction material based on materials that are naturally regrowable or otherwise quickly renewable. This includes materials of biological origin (e.g. wood, cork, fibres) - material from geological or fossil sources is excluded - or abiotic materials (such as clay, water) that are replenished or purified by natural processes within approximately 75-100 years.
Energy from renewable, non-fossil sources, such as wind, sun, aerothermal energy, geothermal energy, hydrothermal energy, tidal energy, hydropower, biomass, landfill gas, gas from waste water treatment plants and biogas.
A raw material for a product that can be grown, naturally replenished or cleansed in a human timescale. With good stewardship, a renewable resource can last forever. Examples include: trees in forests, grasses in grassland, fertile soil.
Reusing construction products or construction components/elements in the same function, whether or not after processing. Examples are the reuse of insulation material as insulation material, a door as a door, a roof as a roof.
Any fuel recovered from previous use or from waste that replaces primary fuels. Processes from which a secondary fuel is produced are considered from the point at which the secondary fuel enters the system from the previous system. Every combustible material originating from previous use or from waste from the previous product system and used as fuel in a subsequent product system is a secondary fuel. Examples of primary fuels include coal, natural gas, biomass, etc. Examples of secondary fuels from previous use or waste include solvents, used wood, used tyres, used oil and animal fats.
Secondary materials are measured at the point in which the secondary material enters the system from another system. Materials originating from previous use or from waste from one product system and used as input in another product system are secondary materials. Examples of secondary materials (to be measured at the system boundary) include recycled scrap metal, crushed concrete, broken glass, recycled wood chips and recycled plastic. As the system boundary of waste streams is at the point that ‘end-of-waste’ is achieved, a secondary material enters a product system as an input without environmental impact.
A production process based on secondary materials.
The original set of 11 environmental impact categories according to EN 15804+A1. This set was used for many years as the basis for MPG calculations. Until 1 July 2026, official MPG calculations for new C&U construction were based on set A1. Set A2 has applied since then.
The new set of 19 environmental impact categories according to EN 15804+A2. This expanded set (including split indicators for acidification, toxicity, etc.) replaces set A1 as the basis for environmental performance calculations. Since 1 July 2026, set A2 is mandatory for MPG calculations for new C&U construction, including a new weighting set for the ECI calculation. Set A1 no longer applies to these calculations from that date.
SimaPro is a software program designed for implementing a Life Cycle Assessment (LCA). This program contains databases with environmental information that can be used to model product chains. The Ecoinvent database is the largest and most frequently used. SimaPro also provides various analysis methods to calculate all the environmental effects of materials, processes, means of transport and energy carriers.
Specific data are data about specific products and suppliers or a sector or group of producers and suppliers. ‘Specific data’ refers to data from NMD categories 1 and 2. These data are verified in accordance with the NMD Verification Protocol and are submitted to the NMD.
Data that are representative for a product, project, product group or construction process, delivered by one supplier.
Stichting NMD is an independent organisation that enables an unambiguous calculation of the environmental performance of structures in the Dutch context. To this end, we manage the Dutch Environmental Database and the Environmental Performance Assessment Method for Construction Works.
Group of substances, such as nitrogen oxides (NOx). This is in contrast to nitrogen dioxide (NO2). Some measurement methods present a quantity of a certain substance group. Substance groups cannot always be characterised properly.
Factor (30%) by which environmental data (LCA results) not verified according to the NMD Verification Protocol are given a surcharge, as an incentive to supply product-specific data (category 1 or 2). This surcharge does not apply to category 3a data (energy carriers).
The smallest element as part of in the LCIA (Life Cycle Impact Assessment) in which the in and out flows are quantified.
Most transport models assume mass transport (mass x distance; tonne x km). Products with a low density should be corrected for this. In the case of mass transport the volume transport factor is 1.
Substance or object that the owner discards or intends or is required to discard.
A new instrument for calculating the total greenhouse gas emissions over the full life cycle of a construction work. It provides insight into the CO2 footprint of all materials, installations and building-related energy use over 50 years. This concept was introduced in 2025 in the context of the revised EPBD.
Abbreviations
All new buildings applying for an environmental permit, both residential and non-residential, must meet the Nearly Zero Energy Buildings (BENG) requirements from 1 January 2021. Applications for environmental permits for new government buildings have met BENG requirements since 1 January 2019 as the government aims to set an example. BENG requirements have been verified using NTA 8800 (Netherlands Technical Agreement) since 1 January 2021. The EPC (Energy Performance Certificate) is being withdrawn.
Policy Committee for Environmental Performance (Calculations) Netherlands. Advisory body to Stichting NMD, representing 18 parties from the construction sector (clients, suppliers and users of data). The BMNL has the right to be heard, provides advice and has co-determination rights in the establishment of the Assessment Method for Environmental Performance of Construction Works, and is itself advised on this by the TIC.
Assessment method to determine a building’s sustainability performance. This method comprises four different quality marks. BREEAM uses Energy Performance of Buildings (EPB) and other systems to calculate the environmental performance of the materials used.
Civil and Utility Construction
Complementary Product Category Rules
Environmental Cost Indicator
Environmental Performance of Buildings
A product’s Environmental Product Declaration
Estimated service life
Gross Floor Area
Civil engineering structures
Waste incineration plant
Life Cycle Assessment
Product Category Rules
Life Cycle Inventory
Life Cycle Impact Assessment
Lower Heating Values
Environmental and energy performance of buildings.
Environmentally Relevant Product Information
National Environmental Database
Reference Service Life
Stichting National Environmental Database
Technical Committee (advisory body for Stichting NMD)
Policy Committee for Environmental Performance (Calculations) Netherlands. Advisory body to Stichting NMD, representing 18 parties from the construction sector (clients, suppliers and users of data). The BMNL has the right to be heard, provides advice and has co-determination rights in the establishment of the Assessment Method for Environmental Performance of Construction Works, and is itself advised on this by the TIC.
Environmental impact category abbreviations
Under set A2 (EN 15804+A2), 19 environmental impact categories are distinguished. The list below gives the abbreviations of the most commonly used categories.
See 'The 19 environmental impact categories explained' for the complete overview
Abiotic Depletion Potential
Depletion of abiotic raw materials. Measure of scarcity of raw material with respect to
reference resource antimony (Sb)
Acidification Potential
Acidification in SO2 equivalents
Comparative Toxic Units
Used to quantify the interactions of toxicants in binary mixtures of chemicals
Eutrophication Potential
Eutrophication in PO4 equivalents
Global Warming Potential
Global warming potential expressed in CO2 equivalents The addition of 100 years relates to the timescale
Global Warming Potential – land use and land use change
Global warming due to land use and changes in land use, expressed in
CO2 equivalents
Human Toxicity Potential
Human toxicity relative to 1.4-Dichlorobenzene
Freshwater Aquatic Ecotoxicity potential
Freshwater aquatic ecotoxicity relative to 1.4-Dichlorobenzene
Marine Aquatic Ecotoxicity Potential
Marine aquatic ecotoxicity relative to 1.4-Dichlorobenzene
Ozone Depletion Potential
Measure of ozone layer depletion, in CFC-11 equivalents.
Particulate Matter
Particulates
Photo-Oxidant Creation Potential
Photochemical oxidant formation (smog formation), in ethylene (C2H4) equivalents
Terrestrial Ecotoxicity Potential
Terrestrial ecotoxicity relative to 1.4-Dichlorobenzene
Water Deprivation Potential
Potential water shortage
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