European approach for the digital product passport of the construction sector

The aim is to define a digital product passport system that takes into account the need for digital information from regulators, manufacturers and other players in the construction value chain.

The consortium composed of Cobuilder, TECNALIA and UNE has won a tender which is expected to provide the European Commission with a technical assessment for different solutions of a European database or system for construction products. This system is envisaged in the revision of the Construction Products Regulation (CPR), currently being developed.

The expected changes will have both practical and legal impact for the construction sector, such as the possible implementation of digital construction product passports and detailed documentation of environmental data.

“The revised CPR aims to ensure that the construction sector contributes to the digital and green transition and promote efficiency in the value chain,” says Aitor Aragón, responsible for sustainable construction and BIM at the Spanish Association for Standardization (UNE), one of the members of the consortium.

A first step will be to decide on the future data infrastructure to support the necessary changes. This is where the creation of a European construction product database becomes important for the European market and Member States. The aim is to ensure that all industry stakeholders across different geographies share construction product data in a common and standardized way.

For Lars Chr. Fredenlund, CEO of Norwegian technology company Cobuilder: “We need to understand and decide how product data should be structured, shared and managed cross-industry. The reason we didn't get there sooner is the fragmented nature of the construction sector and its complexity. The momentum and sense of urgency that now comes with the European Green Deal and the need for digitalization will definitely take us to the next level. »

Feasibility study for a digital product passport and register for construction products

The main objective of the project is to carry out a feasibility study on five different options for setting up an EU-level database or system storing information regarding product construction. TECNALIA, a center for applied research and technological development in Spain, is the third partner of the consortium.

For Amaia Castelruiz Aguirre, principal researcher at TECNALIA: “The study will evaluate combinations of centralized and decentralized solutions, analyzing the advantages and disadvantages from a technological point of view and from the point of view of different stakeholders such as the European Commission, manufacturers, market surveillance authorities and information consumers. »

Industrial partners on board

In addition to the contracted consortium participants, the bid is supported by a broad group of industry stakeholders across Europe, such as Construction Products Europe, FIEC, Construction PME Europe, GS1, BuildingSMART International, etc.

Understanding how a common European database or system for construction products can be set up, how to exchange data via a digital declaration of performance (intelligent CE marking) and how to use data dictionaries, represents an opportunity and a important step towards solving how ambitious legislation and regulatory initiatives can be merged and implemented in practice. This will certainly allow the industry as a whole to move closer to the objectives of the European Green Deal.

Work on the study is already underway and a kick-off meeting with the European Commission took place on October 5.