It will be mandatory to measure the environmental impact of construction materials at all stages of their life cycle, following the European standard EN 15804, a key reference for Environmental Product Declarations (EPD). To facilitate this, the European Commission will provide specific software for these calculations, as well as characterization factors according to this standard. These are some of the key points of the new Construction Products Regulation (CPR), which the European Council approved on November 5. Additionally, the CPR introduces the creation of a digital passport for construction products to provide consumers with more information.

The Regulation will come into effect twenty days after its publication in the Official Journal of the European Union. Articles of the Regulation related to the drafting of standards will be applicable one month after coming into effect. The remaining articles will apply one year after the effective date, except for Article 92, which addresses sanctions and will apply two years after coming into effect.

At inèdit, we have experience in conducting Life Cycle Assessments (LCA) and EPDs for construction products.

In addition to promoting the circular economy, the Regulation harmonizes EU standards for marketing construction materials, facilitates their free movement within the single market, reduces administrative burdens, and encourages technological development in the sector. It establishes obligations for manufacturers, importers, and other economic operators, and reinforces market surveillance and consumer protection. At the same time, it respects the fact that the right to regulate construction projects remains a national competence.

The sector responsible for 50% of resource extraction and consumption

The construction sector represents almost 5.5% of the EU’s GDP and employs approximately 25 million people in over 5 million companies. The construction products sector includes 430,000 companies within the EU, with a total business volume of €800 billion. This sector is primarily made up of small and medium-sized enterprises, which are key economic and social assets for local communities in European regions and cities.

Buildings are responsible for approximately 50% of resource extraction and consumption, and over 30% of the total waste generated annually in the EU. Additionally, they account for 40% of EU energy consumption and 36% of greenhouse gas emissions related to energy.

The new Construction Products Regulation updates the current legislation in this field, which dates back to 2011. The revision of the Construction Products Regulation is part of a series of measures presented by the Commission on March 30, 2022, along with the Ecodesign Regulation and the EU Strategy for Circularity and Sustainability of Textile Products. These measures are part of the European Green Deal and the Circular Economy Action Plan.