NO COPYING WITHOUT BSI PERMISSION EXCEPT AS PERMITTED BY COPYRIGHT LAWBSI Standards Publication Sustainability of construction works — Assessment of buildings Part 2: Framework for the a
General
The standards developed under this framework provide a European system for the assessment of environmental performance of buildings based on a life cycle approach
A building assessment system typically includes multiple components, such as quantifying and analytical methods, along with valuation aspects that involve value judgments However, the current standards focus solely on the analytical component, which means they do not offer valuation methods or establish levels, classes, or benchmarks for performance measures.
NOTE Valuation systems and related calculation rules for aggregation of indicators may be defined in the national standards or schemes according to the national or local preferences
The principles given in Clause 4 are developed into requirements for the assessment methods in Clause 5 Specific requirements for assessments of the environmental performance of buildings are defined in Clause 6
Assessment methods must be credible, transparent, and systematic to ensure verifiability, transparency, and comparability of results Reporting and communication requirements for assessment results are outlined in section 5.8.
The environmental performance assessment method for buildings, as outlined in the relevant standards, focuses on quantifiable indicators that measure performance aspects and impacts objectively, resulting in clear outcomes for each indicator.
Objectives of assessment of the building
The objectives of assessments are
to determine the impacts and aspects of the building and its site;
to enable the client, user and designer to make decisions and choices that will help to address the need for sustainability of buildings.
Approach to assessment of environmental performance
According to ISO 15392, a comprehensive approach to sustainability in building construction requires consideration of all three dimensions: environmental, social, and economic Evaluations of a building's sustainability performance must encompass these dimensions, ensuring that communication reflects this holistic assessment However, it is also possible to assess each dimension separately, depending on the assessment's scope, in which case statements should only pertain to the specific evaluations conducted for environmental, social, or economic aspects.
Linking the results of environmental, social, and economic performance assessments necessitates that their functional equivalents are identical By utilizing the concept of functional equivalency, assessment results can be systematically presented, providing a foundation for comparison at the building level.
Relevance of technical and functional requirements
The technical and functional requirements are established in the client's brief or project specification, significantly impacting the assessment outcomes It is essential to consider these requirements, as detailed in section 5.3, to ensure an accurate description of the functional equivalent of the building.
Technical and functional requirements for buildings and assembled systems encompass various aspects such as structural safety, fire safety, indoor air quality, security, adaptability, energy efficiency, accessibility, de-constructability, recyclability, maintainability, durability, and service life Many of these requirements are also integrated into the categories of social performance assessment.
Consideration of the building life cycle
In fulfilling the technical and functional requirements, environmental aspects and resultant impacts (which may be adverse or beneficial) are incurred which extend over the entire life cycle
The environmental performance of a building is shaped by various factors throughout its entire life cycle, starting from the procurement of raw materials and extending beyond its deconstruction.
General
The assessment methods within this framework shall (as far as possible) ensure that double counting of performance aspects and impacts is avoided.
Object of assessment and the system boundary
The object of assessment shall be the building, its foundations and external works within the area of the building’s site (curtilage) and temporary works associated with the building’s construction
Any limitations in the assessment, whether related to a specific part of the object or a segment of its life cycle, must be clearly documented, reported, and justified, especially if relevant impacts are not considered.
NOTE 1 Regulatory requirements relating to the infrastructure (energy and water supply, sewage systems and other utilities) within the curtilage may allow exclusion from the assessment
The assessment's system boundary will be clearly defined within its scope, considering the specified requirements It will encompass the impacts and aspects of the building-integrated technical systems, as well as building-related furniture, fixtures, and fittings However, the assessment will exclude any impacts and aspects related to appliances and non-building-related furniture, fixtures, and fittings.
The impacts and aspects of non-building-related appliances, furniture, fixtures, and fittings can be assessed independently In such cases, these impacts and aspects are documented and reported separately.
When discussing appliances that are not related to building structures, it is essential to consider domestic, commercial, and industrial appliances, as well as other non-building goods This category includes entertainment electronics, washing machines, refrigerators, cooking appliances, office electronics, and appliances used in industrial processes.
Building-related furniture, fixtures, and fittings are integral products affixed to a structure, and their removal can negatively impact the building's performance Additionally, the dismantling or replacement of these items is classified as construction operations.
Functional equivalent
Comparisons of assessment results for buildings or assembled systems should only be made based on their functional equivalency This necessitates a clear description of major functional requirements, intended use, and relevant specific technical requirements Such descriptions enable the determination of functional equivalency among various options and building types, facilitating transparent and reasonable comparisons If assessment results derived from different functional equivalents are utilized for comparisons, it is essential to clarify the basis and conditions of these comparisons.
When assessing buildings with different functional equivalents, such as various design options for similar structures on the same site or identical buildings under different conditions, it is possible to compare their assessment results using a common reference unit The selection of this reference unit should be based on specific technical, functional, environmental, social, or economic criteria that are relevant to all buildings involved and connected to their respective functional equivalents.
For sustainability assessment the same functional equivalent shall be used for the assessment of each of the individual dimensions of sustainability
The functional equivalent of a building or an assembled system (part of works) shall include, but is not limited to, information on the following aspects:
building type (e.g office, factory, etc.);
relevant technical and functional requirements (e.g regulatory framework and client’s specific requirements);
NOTE 2 Other specific requirements and exposure to climate and to other conditions from the immediate surroundings may be relevant for inclusion in the information on the functional equivalent.
Type of data and their assignment to the building life cycle
Assignment of data to the building life cycle
Impacts and aspects shall be assigned to the information modules of the building life cycle in which they occur, see Figure 3
The building life cycle begins with the acquisition of raw materials and encompasses the manufacturing of products, construction processes, and the building's use, which includes maintenance, refurbishment, and operation At the end of its life, the cycle involves deconstruction or demolition, waste processing for reuse, recycling, energy recovery, and disposal of construction materials Understanding these activities is essential for evaluating the environmental impacts and aspects associated with the building.
A building assessment necessitates data on environmental impacts and aspects across information modules A to C, while information module D addresses environmental impacts beyond the building's life cycle and is optional.
The environmental impacts in information module D encompass additional reuse, recycling, and energy recovery operations that extend beyond the building life cycle When considered, these aspects should be categorized as information regarding potential loads and benefits to other product systems outside the building life cycle.
In the assessment results of module B4 "Replacement," the impacts and aspects of all upstream processes, including raw material acquisition, production, transport of a new product, installation, and waste processing of a removed product, are considered.
Impacts and aspects specific to the building fabric during the building life cycle
To evaluate the environmental performance of buildings, it is essential to gather environmental information on construction products, processes, and services that pertain to the building fabric throughout its life cycle This information must adhere to the standards set by prEN 15978 and should be sourced from relevant modules, including Type III environmental product declarations and other compliant sources as outlined in prEN 15804.
Impacts and aspects specific to building in operation
To evaluate the environmental performance of buildings, it is essential that the technical information regarding operational energy use complies with prEN 15978 This information must be derived from the appropriate modules used for calculating energy consumption related to heating, cooling, ventilation, hot water, lighting, and other integrated technical systems within the building.
NOTE 1 Energy use of appliances that are not building-related may be assessed separately
NOTE 2 For providing technical information for the assessment of the environmental performance of buildings the relevant standards of the EN standard package for assessment of energy performance of buildings and their relationships are described in CEN/TR 15615
To evaluate the environmental performance of buildings, it is essential that the technical data on operational water use complies with prEN 15978 standards and is derived from the appropriate modules or calculations related to operational water consumption.
NOTE 3 Water use of appliances that are not building-related may be assessed separately
Environmental information regarding the impacts and aspects of supplied water will be sourced from Type III environmental product declarations provided by water suppliers or other relevant sources.
Scenarios
Assessments will be based on defined scenarios that reflect the building life cycle These scenarios must be detailed or referenced in the assessment report and made accessible for communication They should be realistic, representative, and aligned with the technical and functional requirements outlined in the functional equivalent (see 5.3).
The technical and functional requirements will be derived from the client's brief, regulatory standards, and project specifications To ensure consistent evaluations of a building's environmental, social, and economic performance, it is essential to utilize equivalent quantities and specifications for product assembly, along with clearly defined and explicitly modeled scenarios.
The service life of a building or assembled system must be determined according to European product standards, incorporating the guidelines outlined in ISO 15686-1, ISO 15686-2, ISO 15686-7, and ISO 15686-8.
Data quality
The environmental information regarding products, processes, and services must meet the standards of accuracy, precision, completeness, and representativeness to effectively assess the environmental performance of buildings, in compliance with prEN 15978 and prEN 15804 requirements.
Verification
Environmental information and the results of the assessment of environmental performance shall be verifiable according to the requirements of prEN 15978 and prEN 15804.
Transparency
The standards within this framework describing assessment methods shall define the requirements for transparency of data, methodologies, results, reporting and communication.
Reporting and communication
General
The assessment report serves as a thorough summary of the assessment documentation that underpins effective communication It must include all relevant information essential to the communication's content.
In the context of this series of European Standards, communication is regarded as presentation of information from the assessment report to any third party
Reporting and communication shall be accurate, verifiable, relevant and not misleading or deceptive.
Results of the assessment
To ensure transparent and systematic understanding of a building's environmental performance assessment, results must be reported according to the specified information groups in sections 5.8.2.2, 5.8.2.3, and 5.8.2.4 Additionally, any aggregation of these information groups should be distinctly separated from the assessment results and presented as supplementary information.
The assessment report must present results using all defined indicators from prEN 15978 and prEN 15804 without aggregating them If a specific indicator from these standards is not assessed by the applied method, it should be explicitly noted in the report as "indicator not assessed" (INA).
When sharing assessment results with third parties or making them publicly accessible, the communicated indicators must be sourced from the defined indicators in prEN 15978 and prEN 15804 Any further aggregation of these indicators should be distinctly separated from the primary assessment results and presented as supplementary information.
Figure 4 — The organisation of the result of the assessment in accordance with the life cycle stages and the information groups
The results of the assessments shall be organised in the following two main groups:
impacts and aspects specific to building fabric and site (see 5.8.2.2);
impacts and aspects specific to building in operation (see 5.8.2.3)
Optionally, supplementary information may be provided in a separate information group:
benefits and loads beyond the system boundary i.e building life cycle (see 5.8.2.4)
5.8.2.2 Impacts and aspects specific to building fabric and site
The results for the impacts and aspects specific to building fabric and site over the building life cycle shall be organised to the following groups of information:
results from the planning stage and the product stage before the construction process stage (see box 1 in Figure 4);
results from the construction process stage (including transportation to the construction site) before the handover of the building (see box 2 in Figure 4);
results from the use stage (after the handover of the building) excluding building in operation (see box 3.1 in Figure 4);
results from the end of life stage of the building (see box 4 in Figure 4)
5.8.2.3 Impacts and aspects specific to building in operation
The operational phase of a building is viewed as a "mechanism" that utilizes energy and water to meet the needs of its users The impacts and aspects related to building operation begin after the building is handed over and continue until it approaches the end of its life cycle.
The results from environmental performance of operational energy and water use shall be grouped together (see box 3.2 in Figure 4)
The impacts and aspects specific to operational energy use shall be subdivided as results from
heating, cooling, ventilation, hot water and lighting;
other building integrated technical systems;
appliances that are not building related, if assessed
The impacts and aspects specific to operational water use shall be subdivided as results from
appliances that are not building related, if assessed
5.8.2.4 Benefits and loads beyond the building life cycle
Supplementary information may encompass the impacts and aspects of reuse, recycling, and energy recovery beyond the building life cycle If such information is included, it should be organized under the category of reuse, recovery, and recycling potential, as illustrated in the supplementary information box in Figure 4.
The standards outlined in section 4.1 focus solely on the analytical aspects of assessment throughout the building life cycle, without offering any value judgments on the specified indicators In addition to the assessment results for modules A to C, a valuation or rating system may also take into account benefits and burdens that extend beyond the building life cycle.
Functional equivalent
The functional equivalent shall be included in the assessment report and declared as part of the communication.
Environmental requirements from client’s brief and/or regulations
Incorporating environmental requirements from the client's brief and relevant regulations is essential for the assessment report, ensuring they are clearly communicated as part of the overall evaluation.
Technical and functional performance
The assessment report and communication must detail the key technical characteristics and functionalities of the building that differ from the specified technical and functional requirements outlined in the functional equivalent.
6 Requirements for calculation methods for assessment of environmental performance of buildings
Overview of the methodology for assessment of environmental performance of buildings
The evaluation of a building's environmental performance must consider its environmental aspects and impacts throughout its life cycle This assessment should adhere to the Life Cycle Assessment principles outlined in EN ISO 14044, incorporating additional quantifiable environmental data.
In order to support the assessment of environmental performance of buildings, the series of standards within this framework shall provide:
the description of the object to be assessed (the building or product system);
the system boundary that applies at the building level;
the indicators and calculation procedures to be used;
the requirements for the data necessary for the assessment;
the requirements for presentation of the results in reporting and communication
NOTE The detailed requirements for the assessment of environmental performance for a building are given in prEN 15978 and for a product in prEN 15804
The standards will not encompass the interpretation and valuation of assessment results, as these aspects fall outside the scope of this series It is essential that the indicators are based on performance.
Type III environmental product declarations, in accordance with ISO 21930 and prEN 15804, provide essential environmental information regarding construction products, processes, and services This information is crucial for assessing the environmental performance of buildings.
Environmental indicators
The following groups of environmental indicators shall be used to describe the environmental performance of buildings over their life cycle:
Indicators for environmental impacts (LCIA impact categories);
Indicators for resource use (environmental aspects);
Indicators for other environmental information (environmental aspects)
NOTE Environmental indicators are listed in the Informative Annex B
To ensure transparency and a consistent flow of information:
the environmental indicators shall be quantifiable;
the indicators used at the product level also shall be applicable for the building level assessment;
it shall be possible to aggregate the results of individual indicators from the product level to the building level;
the indicators shall avoid double counting.
Specific requirements for system boundary for assessment of environmental
With respect to the time scale the system boundary for the assessment of environmental performance of a building shall be the building life cycle, see 5.4.1
Work programme of CEN/TC 350
According to the work programme of CEN/TC 350 the following documents are prepared by CEN/TC 350:
WI 00350006, CEN/TR 15941, “Sustainability of construction works — Environmental product declarations — Methodology for selection and use of generic data”, prepared by CEN/TC 350/WG3
WI 00350008, prEN 15643-3, “Sustainability of construction works — Assessment of buildings — Part 3: Framework for the assessment of social performance”, prepared by CEN/TC 350/WG5
WI 00350009, prEN 15643-4, “Sustainability of construction works — Assessment of buildings — Part 4: Framework for the assessment of economic performance”, prepared by CEN/TC 350/WG4
WI 00350010, EN 15643-2, “Sustainability of construction works — Assessment of buildings — Part 2: Framework for the assessment of environmental performance”, prepared by CEN/TC 350/TG
WI 00350011, prEN 15978, “Sustainability of construction works — Assessment of environmental performance of buildings—Calculation method”, prepared by CEN/TC 350/WG1
WI 00350012, EN 15643-1, “Sustainability of construction works — Sustainability assessment of buildings
— Part 1: General framework”, prepared by CEN/TC 350/TG
WI 00350013, prEN 15942, “Sustainability of construction works — Environmental product declarations
— Communication formats – Business to Business”, prepared by CEN/TC 350/WG3
WI 00350014, “Sustainability of construction works — Environmental product declarations — Communication formats – Business to Consumer”, prepared by CEN/TC 350/WG3
WI 00350015, “Sustainability of construction works — Assessment of social performance of buildings — Methods”, prepared by CEN/TC 350/WG5
WI 00350016, prEN 15804, “Sustainability of construction works — Environmental product declarations
— Core rules for the product category of construction products”, prepared by CEN/TC 350/WG3
WI 00350017, “Sustainability of construction works — Assessment of economic performance of buildings
—Methods”, prepared by CEN/TC 350/WG4
Indicators included in the current versions of standards
Indicators for environmental impacts (LCIA impact categories)
abiotic depletion potential (subdivided into elements and fossil fuels);
acidification of land and water resources;
destruction of the stratospheric ozone layer;
formation of ground-level ozone;
Indicators for resource use (environmental aspects)
use of non-renewable primary energy excluding non-renewable primary energy resources used as raw materials;
use of renewable primary energy excluding renewable primary energy resources used as raw materials;
use of non-renewable primary energy resources used as raw materials;
use of renewable primary energy resources used as raw materials;
use of non-renewable secondary fuels;
use of renewable secondary fuels;
Indicators for other environmental information (environmental aspects)
non-hazardous waste to disposal;
hazardous waste to disposal (other than radioactive waste);
The "Non-hazardous waste to disposal" indicator encompasses waste that is permanently stored, such as landfill deposits and incinerated waste, as outlined in Annex I of the EU Waste Framework Directive 2008/98 Additionally, construction and demolition waste that meets the EU waste framework directive's criteria for energy recovery is categorized under the "Materials for energy recovery" indicator, as specified in Annex II of the same directive.
Further indicators used in the current practice
Indicators for environmental impacts (LCIA impact categories)
Indicators for resource use (environmental aspects)
use of non-renewable resources other than primary energy;
use of renewable resources other than primary energy.
Indicators for other environmental information (environmental aspects)
use of environmentally sustainably managed materials (grouped per material type: e.g PEFC, FSC, responsibly sourced materials BS 8902:2009);
use of environmentally sustainably managed fuels (grouped per fuel type: e.g Sustainability criteria for bio-fuels ISO 13065)
[1] prEN 15942, Sustainability of construction works — Environmental product declarations —
Communication format — Business to Business
[2] CEN/TR 15941, Sustainability of construction works — Environmental product declarations —
Methodology for selection and use of for generic data
[3] ISO 6707-1:2004, Building and civil engineering — Vocabulary — Part 1: General terms
[4] ISO 6707-2:1993, Building and civil engineering — Vocabulary — Part 2: Contract terms
[5] EN ISO 13790, Energy performance of buildings — Calculation of energy use for space heating and cooling (ISO 13790:2008)
[6] EN ISO 13792, Thermal performance of buildings — Calculation of internal temperatures of a room in summer without mechanical cooling — Simplified methods (ISO 13792:2005)
[7] EN ISO 14025, Environmental labels and declarations — Type III environmental declarations —
[8] ISO 15686-5:2008, Buildings and constructed assets — Service-life planning — Part 5: Life-cycle costing
[9] ISO/TS 15686-9, Buildings and constructed assets — Service-life planning — Part 9: Guidance on assessment of service-life data
[10] ISO 15686-10:2008, Buildings and constructed assets — Service life planning — Part 10: When to assess functional performance
[11] ISO 16813, Building environment design — Indoor environment — General principles
[12] ISO 16814, Building environment design — Indoor air quality — Methods of expressing the quality of indoor air for human occupancy
[13] ISO/DIS 21929-1, Sustainability in building construction — Sustainability indicators — Part 1: Framework for the development of indicators and a core set of indicators for buildings
[14] ISO/WD 21929-2, Sustainability in building construction — Sustainability indicators Part 2: Framework for the development of indicators for civil engineering works
[15] ISO 21931-1:2010, Sustainability in building construction — Framework for methods of assessment of the environmental performance of construction works — Part 1: Buildings
[16] EN 12464-1, Light and lighting — Lighting of work places — Part 1: Indoor work places
[17] EN 13032 (all parts), Light and lighting — Measurement and presentation of photometric data of lamps and luminaries
[18] EN 13465, Ventilation for buildings — Calculation methods for the determination of air flow rates in dwellings
[19] EN 15193, Energy performance of buildings — Energy requirements for lighting
[20] EN 15217, Energy performance of buildings — Methods for expressing energy performance and for energy certification of buildings
[21] EN 15232, Energy performance of buildings — Impact of Building Automation, Controls and Building Management
[22] EN 15241, Ventilation for buildings — Calculation methods for energy losses due to ventilation and infiltration in commercial buildings
[23] EN 15242, Ventilation for buildings — Calculation methods for the determination of air flow rates in buildings including infiltration
[24] EN 15243, Ventilation for buildings — Calculation of room temperatures and of load and energy for buildings with room conditioning systems
[25] EN 15251, Indoor environmental input parameters for design and assessment of energy performance of buildings addressing indoor air quality, thermal environment, lighting and acoustics
[26] EN 15316-3 (all subparts), Heating systems in buildings — Method for calculation of system energy requirements and system efficiencies — Part 3: Domestic hot water systems
[27] EN 15603, Energy performance of buildings — Overall energy use and definition of energy ratings
[28] CEN/TR 15615, Explanation of the general relationship between various European standards and the Energy Performance of Buildings Directive (EPBD) — Umbrella Document
[29] ISO IEC Guide 73, Risk management — Vocabulary
[30] EC DG ENTR study, Life cycle costing as a contribution to sustainable construction: towards a common methodology
[31] Directive 2008/98/EC, Directive on Waste
[32] Directive 2009/28/EC, Directive for Promoting the Use of Energy from Renewable Sources
[33] Guidance Paper F (concerning the Construction Products Directive – 89/106/EEC) Durability and the
[34] EN 15643-1, Sustainability of construction works — Sustainability assessment of buildings — Part 1: General framework
[35] prEN 15643-3, Sustainability of construction works – Assessment of buildings – Part 3: Framework for the assessment of social performance
[36] prEN 15643-4, Sustainability of construction works – Assessment of buildings – Part 4: Framework for the assessment of economic performance