Environmental characteristics of construction products under the new Regulation (EU) 2024/3110

Regulation (EU) 2024/3110 introduces new requirements for the environmental characteristics of construction products. Those requirements are intended to better assess and reduce the environmental impact of construction products throughout their life cycle, from the extraction of raw materials to the end of the product life.

That regulatory development is in line with European objectives to transition to a circular economy and reduce the ecological footprint of the construction sector.

List of environmental characteristics for construction products

They apply to construction products covered by the regulation and placed on the market within the European Economic Area (EEA).

The list of the various essential environmental characteristics can be found in Annex II of the regulation. These are:

1. climate change effects (total)
2. climate change effects (linked to fossil fuels)
3. climate change effects (linked to biogenic emissions)
4. climate change effects (linked to land use and land use change)
5. ozone layer depletion
6. acidification potential
7. eutrophication of aquatic freshwater
8. eutrophication of aquatic marine
9. eutrophication terrestrial
10. photochemical ozone formation
11. abiotic resources depletion (minerals, metals)
12. abiotic resources depletion (fossil fuels)
13. water use
14. emission of fine solid particles
15. ionising radiation (human health)
16. eco-toxicity of freshwater
17. human toxicity (carcinogenic effects)
18. human toxicity (non-carcinogenic effects)
19. land use related impacts

Mention of environmental characteristics in the Declaration of Performance and Conformity

The environmental performance of construction products must be included in the Declaration of Performance and Conformity (DoPC).

The performance covers the entire life cycle of the product, including the packaging used or likely to be used. It is calculated using the software made available free of charge by the European Commission.

The environmental characteristics will be introduced in stages in the Declaration of Performance and Conformity  according to this schedule: 

• the characteristics in points 1) to 4), from 8 January 2026;
• the characteristics in points 5) to 13) from 9 January 2030;
• the characteristics in points 14) to 19), from 9 January 2032.

Harmonised technical specifications

The environmental characteristics will take effect from the publication of the harmonised technical specifications for the various construction products.

Harmonised technical specifications are documents that define the essential characteristics of construction products, specifically to enable manufacturers to draw up declarations of performance and place them on the market with CE marking.

To date, the European Commission has not published any harmonised technical specifications.