Non-Dutch LCAs and EPDs in the NMD

Non-Dutch LCAs in the Dutch Environmental Database

Construction products from foreign (non-Dutch) manufacturers or industry associations can be included in the Dutch Environmental Database, provided that a Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) has been compiled in accordance with the Environmental Performance Assessment Method for Construction Works (Assessment Method).

If a foreign LCA or Environmental Product Declaration (EPD) is already available, adjustments are often required to meet the Dutch data quality requirements. Taking this into account at an early stage can help avoid unnecessary delays and additional costs during the LCA study and the data inclusion process in the database.

Background

The European standard EN 15804 (A1 + A2:2019) forms the basis for Life Cycle Assessments (LCAs) of construction products. This standard provides guidelines for compiling an LCA that calculates the environmental impact of a construction product. Across Europe, EN 15804 is widely applied to record the environmental performance of products in Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs).

In the Netherlands, a legal requirement applies to the environmental performance of buildings (MPG). Therefore, data quality and mutual comparability are of great importance. To ensure this, the Dutch Environmental Database Foundation sets additional requirements for data quality, on top of EN 15804. These additional requirements are laid down in the Assessment Method.

For international parties that wish to have their data included in the Dutch Environmental Database, it is essential to be well informed about these additional requirements. This ensures that the data align with the Dutch methodology and are properly comparable with existing information. An LCA or EPD that complies with the Dutch Assessment Method also automatically complies with the European EN 15804. As a result, it is also suitable for use elsewhere in Europe.

Step-by-step plan for inclusion in the Dutch Environmental Database

Read more here about the process of submitting data to the Dutch Environmental Database.

Information for LCA practitioners

When a foreign manufacturer wishes to have a construction product included in the Dutch Environmental Database, the accompanying data must comply with the requirements set out in the Environmental Performance Assessment Method for Construction Works (Assessment Method). This methodology serves as a generic Product Category Rule (PCR) for construction products within the Dutch environmental performance framework.

This page explains the content-related additions imposed by the Assessment Method on top of the European standard EN 15804. To support this process, an interactive checklist is available.

Data requirements

The Assessment Method sets out various requirements, including for the use of:

• Background databases
• Transport distances
• Default waste scenarios
• Allocation
• Calculation method

The amount of work required to align an existing LCA with the Assessment Method depends on the nature and extent of the necessary adjustments. In many cases, existing LCI data can be reused, but a different calculation method may need to be applied, for example. If the correct version of the Ecoinvent background database has not been used, selecting the appropriate processes can be relatively labour-intensive.

Adapting an LCA

The Excel checklist or decision tree will often identify one or more required adjustments to make the data suitable for inclusion in the Dutch Environmental Database. The manufacturer can choose to have these adjustments carried out by the original LCA practitioner or by a recognised LCA practitioner listed by the Dutch Environmental Database who is familiar with the Dutch environmental performance framework.

In both cases, it is mandatory for the adjusted data to be reviewed by a recognised LCA verifier before it can be included in the database.

Go to overview for LCA practitioners