The context for environmental assessment in the construction sector is undergoing considerable change. This is largely due to the publicationof the long-awaited suite of standards from CEN TC 350, which interlink with those from International Standards Organisation (ISO) relating to life cycle assessment (LCA) and Type III environmental labelling.
This paper, funded by the BRE Trust, is provided as an aid to understanding the implications of CEN TC 350’s emerging standards for assessing the environmental performance of construction products (materials) and buildings.
The document presents an overview of the TC 350 standards relating to the environmental performance of materials and buildings and identifies the key aspects of the standards and their implications for modelling the environmental impacts of construction.
This paper will be of interest to manufacturers of construction products and services, architects and specifiers using these products and services, and LCA practitioners engaged in assessing them. It will help you understand the standards emerging in Europe and the challenges faced in implementing them.
Assessing the environmental impacts of construction – understanding European Standards and their implications