Dutch Regulations and the NMD

The Dutch Environmental Database (NMD) plays a central role in promoting sustainable construction in the Netherlands. To effectively fulfil this role, rules have been established governing the use of environmental data. These rules ensure reliable and comparable information on the environmental impact of construction materials and products.

Building Code (Bbl)

The Besluit bouwwerken leefomgeving (Bbl) – the successor to the former Bouwbesluit – includes a requirement for calculating the Environmental Performance of Buildings (MPG) in new construction. For this, the use of data from the NMD is mandatory. Only approved and verified environmental data may be used, ensuring that calculations are fair, transparent, and traceable.

MIA|Vamil Scheme

The Dutch government encourages investment in sustainable products through the MIA|Vamil tax incentive scheme. Construction products may be eligible for tax benefits if they are demonstrably environmentally friendly. A key requirement is that the product is included in the NMD and complies with the Admission Guidelines. This guarantees that the data meets the required quality standards.

Why Regulation Matters

The regulations surrounding environmental data ensure that:

sustainability claims of products are transparent and substantiated;
environmental performance calculations remain fair and comparable;
material and design choices are based on validated data;
the construction sector is steered towards circular and sustainable practices.
Infrastructure and Civil Engineering (GWW)

At present, the GWW sector (infrastructure and civil engineering) is not legally required to perform environmental performance assessments or to use the NMD, as is the case for residential and non-residential buildings under the Bbl. However, the importance of environmental data in this sector is growing rapidly.

Public clients, such as municipalities and water authorities, increasingly impose sustainability criteria or environmental requirements in tenders. The NMD also supports the GWW sector with data and calculation rules. By using recognised environmental data, sustainability can be better incorporated into design and execution.