EN 12056-1:2000
(Main)Gravity drainage systems inside buildings - Part 1: General and performance requirements
General Information
- Abstract
This European Standard applies to waste water drainage systems which operate under gravity. It is applicable for drainage systems inside dwellings, commercial, institutional and industrial buildings. The field of application of this European Standard is shown in Figure 1. Differences in plumbing within Europe have led to a variety of systems being developed. Some of the major systems in use are described but this Standard has not attempted to detail the intricacies of each system. Detailed information additional to that contained in this Standard may be obtained by referring to the technical documents listed in Annex A .
- Status
- Published
- Publication Date
- 20-Jun-2000
- Technical Committee
- CEN/TC 165 - Waste water engineering
- Drafting Committee
- CEN/TC 165/WG 21 - Drainage systems inside buildings
- Current Stage
- 9020 - Submission to 2 Year Review Enquiry - Review Enquiry
- Start Date
- 15-Jul-2026
- Completion Date
- 15-Jul-2026
- Directive
- Harmonized Standard305/2011 - Regulation (eu) No 305/2011 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 9 march 2011 laying down harmonised conditions for the marketing of construction products and repealing council directive 89/106/eec
Not Harmonized89/106/EEC - Construction products
Overview
EN 12056-1:2000 - "Gravity drainage systems inside buildings - Part 1: General and performance requirements" is a European (CEN) standard that defines the general scope and performance requirements for gravity-operated wastewater drainage systems installed within buildings. The standard applies to drainage systems in dwellings, commercial, institutional and industrial buildings, outlining the field of application (see Figure 1 in the standard) and describing major system types used across Europe. It sets out high-level requirements rather than the minute details of every national plumbing variant and points to additional technical documents in Annex A for supplementary guidance.
Key Topics and Requirements
- Scope and applicability: Clarifies which internal gravity drainage systems are covered, and the types of buildings and installations included.
- General requirements: Establishes design intent, functional criteria and essential performance objectives for wastewater conveyance under gravity.
- Performance requirements: Defines expected system behaviour (reliability, prevention of blockage, safe conveyance, protection against backflow and odour) at a standards level.
- System descriptions: Presents major plumbing and drainage systems in use across Europe without prescribing the detailed constructional intricacies of each national variant.
- Reference and supplementary documents: Directs users to Annex A for technical documents and further national or European standards to support detailed design and installation.
(Note: EN 12056-1:2000 focuses on general and performance-level requirements - it does not provide exhaustive installation geometry, pipe sizes or slopes for every system variant.)
Applications
EN 12056-1 is practical for professionals involved in building services and sanitary engineering who need to ensure compliance with European expectations for gravity drainage. Typical users include:
- Plumbing and sanitary engineers specifying drainage systems
- Building services designers and HVAC consultants integrating wastewater systems
- Architects coordinating sanitary core design
- Plumbers and installers seeking performance criteria to meet during installation
- Regulatory authorities and code officials assessing conformity
- Facility managers evaluating system performance and maintenance needs
Using EN 12056-1 helps ensure drainage designs meet recognized European performance expectations for safety, hygiene and reliability.
Related Standards
The standard itself references additional technical documents (see Annex A) and is part of the EN 12056 series covering building drainage. Users should consult the rest of the EN 12056 parts and relevant national plumbing codes for detailed installation practices, materials, and testing procedures.
Keywords: EN 12056-1, gravity drainage systems, wastewater drainage, drainage systems inside buildings, performance requirements, building services, plumbing standards.
Relations
- Effective Date
- 28-Jan-2026
- Effective Date
- 28-Jan-2026
- Effective Date
- 28-Jan-2026
- Effective Date
- 28-Jan-2026
- Effective Date
- 28-Jan-2026
- Effective Date
- 28-Jan-2026
- Effective Date
- 28-Jan-2026
- Referred By
EN 16941-1:2018 - On-site non-potable water systems - Part 1: Systems for the use of rainwater - Effective Date
- 28-Jan-2026
- Effective Date
- 28-Jan-2026
- Effective Date
- 28-Jan-2026
- Effective Date
- 28-Jan-2026
- Effective Date
- 28-Jan-2026
- Effective Date
- 28-Jan-2026
- Effective Date
- 28-Jan-2026
- Effective Date
- 28-Jan-2026
Get Certified
Connect with accredited certification bodies for this standard
DIBt (Deutsches Institut für Bautechnik)
German Institute for Building Technology.
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DIN Group product certification.
Aboma Certification B.V.
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Frequently Asked Questions
EN 12056-1:2000 is a standard published by the European Committee for Standardization (CEN). Its full title is "Gravity drainage systems inside buildings - Part 1: General and performance requirements". This standard covers: This European Standard applies to waste water drainage systems which operate under gravity. It is applicable for drainage systems inside dwellings, commercial, institutional and industrial buildings. The field of application of this European Standard is shown in Figure 1. Differences in plumbing within Europe have led to a variety of systems being developed. Some of the major systems in use are described but this Standard has not attempted to detail the intricacies of each system. Detailed information additional to that contained in this Standard may be obtained by referring to the technical documents listed in Annex A .
This European Standard applies to waste water drainage systems which operate under gravity. It is applicable for drainage systems inside dwellings, commercial, institutional and industrial buildings. The field of application of this European Standard is shown in Figure 1. Differences in plumbing within Europe have led to a variety of systems being developed. Some of the major systems in use are described but this Standard has not attempted to detail the intricacies of each system. Detailed information additional to that contained in this Standard may be obtained by referring to the technical documents listed in Annex A .
EN 12056-1:2000 is classified under the following ICS (International Classification for Standards) categories: 01.040.91 - Construction materials and building (Vocabularies); 91.140.80 - Drainage systems. The ICS classification helps identify the subject area and facilitates finding related standards.
EN 12056-1:2000 has the following relationships with other standards: It is inter standard links to EN 12056-4:2000, EN 12056-5:2000, EN 12056-2:2000, EN 12056-3:2000, EN 274-1:2002, EN 13564-1:2002, ENV 13801:2000, EN 16941-1:2018, EN 16904:2025, CEN/TR 17426:2019, EN 16578:2016, CEN/TR 13801:2014, EN 12050-1:2001, EN 12050-3:2000, EN 12050-1:2015. Understanding these relationships helps ensure you are using the most current and applicable version of the standard.
EN 12056-1:2000 is associated with the following European legislation: EU Directives/Regulations: 305/2011, 89/106/EEC, 93/38/EEC; Standardization Mandates: M/BC/CEN/88/15. When a standard is cited in the Official Journal of the European Union, products manufactured in conformity with it benefit from a presumption of conformity with the essential requirements of the corresponding EU directive or regulation.
EN 12056-1:2000 is available in PDF format for immediate download after purchase. The document can be added to your cart and obtained through the secure checkout process. Digital delivery ensures instant access to the complete standard document.
Standards Content (Sample)
2003-01.Slovenski inštitut za standardizacijo. Razmnoževanje celote ali delov tega standarda ni dovoljeno.Težnostni kanalizacijski sistemi v stavbah - 1. del - Splošne zahteve in zahteve za delovanjeSchwerkraftentwässerungsanlagen innerhalb von Gebäuden - Teil 1: Allgemeine und AusführungssanforderungenRéseaux d'évacuation gravitaire a l'intérieur des bâtiments - Partie 1: Prescriptions générales et de performanceGravity drainage systems inside buildings - Part 1: General and performance requirements91.140.80Drenažni sistemiDrainage systems01.040.91Gradbeni materiali in gradnja (Slovarji)Construction materials and building (Vocabul
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