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Building - Construction

The building is a complex, living structure that consumes resources and emits into the air, water and soil. (EU Commission 2017 / UNEP).

The building sector accounts for around 40% of primary energy consumption and 36% of greenhouse gas emissions in Europe. Reducing the environmental impact of the construction sector is the key to achieving Europe’s 20% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 2020.

By aiming to reduce energy consumption in the construction sector, the share of the impact due to construction materials increases. Embodied energy in construction represents several years of heating in energy equivalent. 

The building sector is the most advanced in integration of life cycle thinking. Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) is used to calculate the environmental impact of building products and buildings.

The Environmental Product Declaration (EPD) is available for many categories of building products and materials in France and in various European countries. They are needed to assess the environmental impact of a building.

In France, they are also called Environmental and Health Declaration Forms (FDES). They are necessary for assessing the environmental impact of a building. From January 2020, Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) will be mandatory during the construction of a new building, according to the new RE2020 regulations. Thus, only products with an FDES can be used in new construction in France.

In Belgium, a royal decree has stipulated since January 2015 that manufacturers of construction products wishing to communicate an environmental message of their products are obliged to carry out a Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) according to the Environmental Product Declaration (DEP) methodology. . 

Since October 2018, we have been approved official auditor of Environmental and Health Declaration Sheets (FDES) by INIES and since April 2020, we have also been approved official auditor of Belgian DEP. 

Our services

B-EPD verification

for publication on the TOTEM database

Environmental Product Declarations (EPD)

Life Cycle Cost Assessment

Development of monitoring indicator

for urban planning

FDES Verification

for publication on the INIES database

Life Cycle Assessment of buildings

Social Life Cycle Assessment

Our achievements

Regulation - Standardization

FDES Verification

B-EPD verification

Support and development of EPD

Support of the MEL