Revised Construction Products Regulation (CPR) to include EPD data | One Click LCA

What is the Construction Products Regulation?

The Construction Products Regulation (CPR) has been in place since 2011. Its goal has always been to streamline the Single Market circulation of construction products with standardized guidelines. It defines key performance areas, includes harmonized CE marking rules, and mandates Member States to enforce safety and environmental requirements.

However, the existing legislation does not adequately address sustainability and a lack of harmonization is hampering trade.

Sustainability and digital transformation are central to the revised regulation. The updated CPR addresses issues within the current standardization system and introduces new digital data requirements to boost transparency. It creates a consistent framework for evaluating the lifetime environmental impact, energy efficiency and circularity of buildings and construction materials.

The revision is part of a package of sustainability measures being delivered under the European Green Deal and the Circular Economy Action Plan, including the Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation (ESPR) and the revised Energy Performance of Buildings Directive (EPBD).

Here are 5 key things to note about the revised CPR

1. Carbon footprints for all construction products

Every construction product sold within the EU will need to disclose its Global Warming Potential (GWP) under the revised CPR, enabling architects, engineers, and developers to take informed decisions for their projects.

However, this is just a first step. By 2030 manufacturers will be expected to report the full range of environmental impact data contained within EN 15804-based Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs).

EPDs provide transparent and comparable information about the life-cycle environmental impact of products within specific product categories.

2. Environmental data must be third-party-verified

The disclosures mentioned above are expected to be part of a digital product passport system, set out in the revised CPR, similar to the proposals for the Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation.

Digital product passports will consist of a declaration of performance (DoP), providing comprehensive details on construction products, encompassing its performance characteristics, safety specifications, and environmental footprint. This aims to eliminate information silos and empowers stakeholders across the entire value chain, from architects and engineers to contractors and building inspectors.

EN 15804-compliant EPDs can be used to provide environmental performance information in a DoP.

The environmental data held within a declaration of performance must be third-party-verified by a Notified Body. The Notified Body will be required to: verify the manufacturer’s initial and updated assessment; validate the process applied to generate that assessment; and verify the methodology used.

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3. The revised CPR boosts green public procurement

To promote the supply of and demand for environmentally sustainable construction products, the revised CPR gives the Commission the authority to establish mandatory minimum environmental sustainability requirements for the public procurement of construction products.

These regulations can extend to all contracts involving construction products, including those for construction works, allowing Member States to introduce environmental requirements.

The provisional agreement also grants Member States the flexibility to deviate from environmental requirements under certain conditions. This includes situations where applying the requirements would lead to a limited market supply, lack of suitable tenders, or disproportionate costs exceeding 10% compared to scenarios without requirements.

“The EPD Hub , One Click LCA’s preferred EPD program operator, is working towards becoming a designated Notified Body.”

4. The updated CPR accelerates standardization

At the core of the reform is a desire to standardize the approval processes for construction products, from cement and steel to bricks and glue. Currently, these products require diverse permits for market entry in the EU.

To address the frequent delays within the standardization process, the updated CPR empowers the European Commission to step in and adopt its own technical specifications under specific conditions. This bolsters the Commission’s involvement, giving it the authority to act when needed, ensuring timely solutions and preventing roadblocks from derailing progress.

An expert group, appointed by EU member countries, is currently working to revise the existing standards for construction products, referred to as the legal “acquis” in EU terminology.

5. Revised CPR: what to expect next

Following the provisional agreement reached in December, the revised CPR is expected to be published in the Official Journal later this year, likely by March 2024. At this point it becomes a binding and directly applicable law for member states.

However, the current rules, including existing standards, will remain in force until 2039: a 15-year grace period following the new law’s expected publication later in 2024.