Digital Product Passports Revolutionize Building Sustainability
New Regulations Mandate Transparency in Construction Materials
The construction sector is undergoing a significant transformation with new regulations emphasizing sustainability and transparency. This shift is driven by the need for detailed product information accessible through digital product passports (DPPs), impacting how buildings are designed, constructed, and maintained.
DPPs: The Cornerstone of Future Building Standards
The decentralized and machine-readable provision of product and sustainability data is enabling a new paradigm. This paradigm utilizes Building Information Modeling (BIM) models for sustainability calculations. At the Buildingsmart User Forum in Essen, Otto Handle presented the BIM Community with insights into these forthcoming regulations.
The decentralized, machine-readable provision of product and sustainability data enables a new application paradigm to use BIM building models for sustainability calculations.
— Otto Handle (@OttoHandle) Month Day, Year
“Products for which no valid product passport is available in the central registration database of the European Commission may not be sold throughout the Union.”
—Otto Handle
These DPPs are critical, given that the EU construction industry accounts for around 35% of total waste generated in the EU (European Commission, 2024).
Regulatory Landscape and Impact
The new European Building Products Ordinance, in force since December, expands the requirements of market participants. Sustainability is now integrated with existing essential characteristics. Simultaneously, digital and machine-readable publication is mandatory, with the first product groups transitioning to DPPs soon.
The new EU building directive (EPBD) directs the pathway toward zero-emission buildings by 2050. This directive regulates information supplied to consumers and buildings. It is designed to inform decisions and investments regarding building performance. From 2028, new public buildings and those exceeding 1000 m² of usable space must comply.
Digital Product Passports in Detail
The DPP acts as a digital information container. This container is required for all products based on legislative requirements from the ecodesign and building products regulations. The DPP is designed for both consumers and authorities. It must be permanently free of charge and accessible.
Any product pass can be accessed through a clear identification. A data carrier, like a QR code, must be on the product, packaging, or accompanying documents. This will lead consumers to the product pass, enabling “informed purchase decisions.”
The product pass is also accessible as a machine-readable data record. This record is processed directly in various software systems. Public data of the DPP are always accessible without authentication. Limited access data can be protected with user rights and mandatory authentication.
Technical Implementation and Sustainability Optimization
The CEN/CLC/JTC24 standardization work determines the generally applicable requirements regarding the technical and organizational implementation of the DPP system. For this purpose, eight harmonized European standards are being developed.
The combination of digital building models and the DPP will facilitate the detection of various sustainability factors. Evaluation methods in the building sector largely equate to a principle of “environmental damage per quantity unit.” The calculation of the quantity is available in the digital building model system.
The crucial information is within the DPPs. These are uniformly formatted and machine-readable, accessible free of charge across Europe. This allows the information to be used in software without the need for data replication.
Ultimately, the digital product passport system and the upcoming regulations will change the building industry. The author, Otto Handle, has been involved with the building materials industry for over 25 years.
