The ‘Life cycle assessment calculation values’ table for QNG life cycle assessments was published and made mandatory for QNG verification on 1 March 2023 alongside the introduction of the Climate-Friendly New Builds scheme (KFN). The KFN new-build subsidy programme covers both a basic subsidy fund for non-QNG-certified and a QNG subsidy fund for QNG-certified buildings. The verification process for both of these subsidy funds includes a life cycle assessment over the life cycle of the new building to be subsidised based on the QNG rules. Due to the fact that the calculation results for the basic level non-QNG subsidy are not checked by an independent third party, the BMWSB, as the funding body, introduced the ‘Life cycle assessment calculation values’ table for the life cycle assessment for the QNG Certification, which also simultaneously ensures the necessary quality assurance for the basic subsidy fund.
Background of the transitional solution for the ‘Life cycle assessment calculation values’ table in the QNG
The ‘LCA calculation values’ table contains material datasets from ÖKOBAUDAT in accordance with DIN EN 15804+A1, which have been supplemented with data on the materials’ end of life (EoL) (modules C3, C4 and D). This addition is necessary because the ÖKOBAUDAT datasets in accordance with DIN EN 15804+A1 only contain some as opposed to all of this information, which has to be included in the life cycle assessment in accordance with the subsidy regulations.
The individual addition of end-of-life data to the ÖKOBAUDAT datasets by users required until 1 March 2023 for the life cycle assessment calculations for QNG Certification contained sources of error due to the individual mapping required. While it had previously been possible for the QNG certification bodies to identify and correct potential errors during the verification process, the simplified process used for the basic KFN subsidy fund eliminates the need for verification by independent third parties and consequently also the means to detect and correct such errors. Hence, the ‘Life cycle assessment calculation values’ table helps users to ensure the quality of the life cycle assessments and ensures that the verification process used for applications submitted to the KfW is based on standardised material data.
In the medium term, the above challenge of the lack of end-of-life information in the ÖKOBAUDAT material datasets will be resolved thanks to ÖKOBAUDAT’s switch to of the current DIN EN 15804+A2 datasets. This is because DIN EN 15804+A2-compliant Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs), on which ÖKOBAUDAT’s product-related datasets are based, always contain information on the end of life of the declared product or product group, although with some exceptions. The switch has already begun and, on its completion, QNG will also be converted from the ‘Life cycle assessment calculation values’ table to ÖKOBAUDAT in accordance with DIN EN 15804+A2. For this purpose, the relevant QNG requirement values will also be recalculated using the updated version of ÖKOBAUDAT as a reference database. Once the switch has been completed, it will be possible to use product-specific EPDs in accordance with DIN EN 15804+A2 from manufacturers and associations for verification purposes again.
