ISO 21930:2017

Sustainability in buildings and civil engineering works - Core rules for environmental product declarations of construction products and services

ISO 21930:2017 provides the principles, specifications and requirements to develop an environmental product declaration (EPD) for construction products and services, construction elements and integrated technical systems used in any type of construction works. ISO 21930:2017 complements ISO 14025 by providing specific requirements for the EPD of construction products and services. ISO 21930:2017 establishes a core set of requirements to be considered as core product category rules (PCR) to develop an EPD for any construction product or service. In addition, this document, as the core PCR document for construction products, construction elements and integrated technical systems: a) includes the rules for calculating the life cycle inventory analysis (LCI), the predetermined environmental indicators and the life cycle impact assessment (LCIA) results that are reported in the EPD; b) describes which life cycle stages are considered in a particular type of EPD, which processes are to be included in the life cycle stages and how the stages are subdivided into information modules; c) defines rules for the development of scenarios; d) includes the rules for reporting relevant environmental and technical information that are not covered by LCA; e) defines the core elements to be included in an EPD; f) establishes the structure of a project report; g) defines the conditions under which construction products can be compared, based on the information provided by an EPD; h) provides requirements and guidelines on PCR for sub-categories of construction products; i) includes mandatory and unalterable requirements for any PCR based on this document. EPDs for construction products, as described in this document, are primarily intended for use in B2B communication, but their use in B2C communication under certain conditions is not precluded. For EPDs intended for B2C communication, refer to ISO 14025 (see 5.4). The assessment of social and economic impacts at the product level is not covered by this document. NOTE 1 In this document, unless otherwise designated, the term construction product is used for any good(s) or service(s) related to construction works. NOTE 2 Construction assemblies, construction elements and integrated technical systems, incorporated within construction works, can be considered construction products.

Développement durable dans les bâtiments et les ouvrages de génie civil — Règles principales pour les déclarations environnementales des produits de construction et des services

General Information

• Status: Published
• Publication Date: 30-Jul-2017
• ICS: 91.040.01 - Buildings in general
• Technical Committee: ISO/TC 59/SC 17 - Sustainability in buildings and civil engineering works
• Drafting Committee: ISO/TC 59/SC 17/WG 3 - Environmental declaration of products
• Current Stage: 9093 - International Standard confirmed
• Start Date: 01-Feb-2023
• Completion Date: 13-Dec-2025

Relations

• Consolidated By: ISO 20184-1:2018 - Molecular in vitro diagnostic examinations - Specifications for pre-examination processes for frozen tissue - Part 1: Isolated RNA
• Effective Date: 06-Jun-2022
• Revises: ISO 21930:2007 - Sustainability in building construction - Environmental declaration of building products
• Effective Date: 10-Mar-2012

Overview

ISO 21930:2017 - Sustainability in buildings and civil engineering works - defines the core rules for preparing Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs) for construction products, construction elements and integrated technical systems. It complements ISO 14025 by providing construction‑specific requirements for EPDs and establishes a core set of Product Category Rules (PCR) applicable to any construction product or service used in building and civil engineering works. ISO 21930:2017 is primarily intended for B2B communication of environmental performance (with conditions for B2C use).

Key topics and technical requirements

• Core PCR framework: establishes mandatory, unalterable elements that sub‑category PCRs must follow.
• Life cycle approach: rules for defining system boundaries and life cycle stages (production, construction/installation, use, end‑of‑life and optional Module D).
• LCA requirements: specifications for Life Cycle Inventory (LCI) data collection, allocation rules, data quality, and presentation of Life Cycle Impact Assessment (LCIA) results reported in the EPD.
• Information modules and scenarios: guidance on subdividing life cycle stages into information modules and developing realistic scenarios for stages beyond production.
• Additional environmental information: mandatory reporting items (e.g., regulated hazardous substances, releases) and optional LCA‑based information describing benefits/loads from reuse, recycling or energy recovery (Module D).
• Carbon accounting: requirements for reporting biogenic carbon uptake/emissions, carbonation and delayed emissions.
• Comparability and average EPDs: conditions under which EPDs can be compared and methods for creating average EPDs for product groups.
• Documentation, verification and project reporting: structure and content of EPD declarations, project reports and verification/validity criteria.

Practical applications and who uses it

ISO 21930:2017 is used by:

• Manufacturers and suppliers of building materials and construction services to prepare verified EPDs.
• EPD program operators and PCR developers to ensure consistent, comparable EPDs across construction product categories.
• LCA practitioners and sustainability consultants performing product LCA and reporting results.
• Specifiers, architects, engineers and building owners who evaluate material environmental performance for sustainable design, procurement or green‑building certification.
• Public procurers and clients using EPDs for environmental procurement criteria.

Related standards

• ISO 14025 - Type III environmental declarations (complementary reference cited in ISO 21930).
• ISO 14040 / ISO 14044 - General LCA principles and requirements (commonly used alongside ISO 21930 for LCA methodology).

ISO 21930:2017 enables consistent, construction‑specific EPDs that support lifecycle transparency, sustainable procurement and environmentally informed decision‑making in the built environment.

Standards Content (Sample)

INTERNATIONAL ISO
STANDARD 21930
Second edition
2017-07
Sustainability in buildings and civil
engineering works — Core rules for
environmental product declarations of
construction products and services
Développement durable dans les bâtiments et les ouvrages de génie
civil — Règles principales pour les déclarations environnementales
des produits de construction et des services
Reference number
©
ISO 2017
© ISO 2017, Published in Switzerland
All rights reserved. Unless otherwise specified, no part of this publication may be reproduced or utilized otherwise in any form
or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, or posting on the internet or an intranet, without prior
written permission. Permission can be requested from either ISO at the address below or ISO’s member body in the country of
the requester.
ISO copyright office
Ch. de Blandonnet 8 • CP 401
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Fax [phone]
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www.iso.org
ii © ISO 2017 – All rights reserved

Contents Page
Foreword .v
Introduction .vii
1 Scope . 1
2 Normative references . 2
3 Terms and definitions . 2
4 Abbreviated terms .15
5 General aspects .16
5.1 Objectives of this core PCR .16
5.2 Life cycle stages and their information modules and module D .17
5.2.1 General.17
5.2.2 Types of EPD with respect to life cycle stages covered.19
5.2.3 Use of scenarios for assessment of information modules beyond the
production stage .20
5.3 Average EPDs for groups of similar products .21
5.4 Use of EPDs for construction products .22
5.5 Comparability of EPDs for construction products .22
5.6 Documentation .23
6 PCR development and use .24
6.1 Core PCR structure .24
6.2 Relation between core PCR and sub-category PCR .25
6.3 Development of sub-category PCR .26
7 PCR for LCA .26
7.1 Methodological framework .26
7.1.1 Overarching principles for LCA modelling and calculation .26
7.1.2 Functional unit.26
7.1.3 Declared unit .27
7.1.4 Requirements for the use of RSL .28
7.1.5 System boundary with nature .28
7.1.6 System boundary between products systems .28
7.1.7 System boundaries and technical information for scenarios .33
7.1.8 Criteria for the inclusion and exclusion of inputs and outputs.42
7.1.9 Selection of data and data quality requirements .43
7.1.10 Units .44
7.2 Inventory analysis .44
7.2.1 Data collection .44
7.2.2 Calculation procedures . . .44
7.2.3 Allocation situations .44
7.2.4 Principles for allocation for both allocation situations .44
7.2.5 Allocation for co-products .45
7.2.6 Allocation between product systems (across the system boundary) .47
7.2.7 Accounting of biogenic carbon uptake and emissions during the life cycle .47
7.2.8 Carbonation .48
7.2.9 Accounting of delayed emissions .49
7.2.10 Inventory indicators describing resource use .49
7.2.11 Greenhouse gas emissions from land-use change .50
7.2.12 Additional inventory indicators describing emissions and removals of carbon .50
7.2.13 Inventory indicator describing consumption of freshwater .51
7.2.14 Environmental information describing waste categories and output flows .51
7.3 Impact assessment indicators describing main environmental impacts derived
from LCA .53
8 Additional environmental information .54
8.1 General .54
8.2 Additional LCA-related environmental information not included in the pre-set
LCIA indicators .54
8.3 Additional environmental information not derived from or related to LCA .55
8.4 Mandatory additional environmental information .55
8.4.1 Content of regulated hazardous substances .55
8.4.2 Release of dangerous substances from construction products .56
9 Content of an EPD .56
9.1 General .56
9.2 Declaration of general information .56
9.3 Declaration of the methodological framework .58
9.4 Declaration of technical information and scenarios .59
9.4.1 General.59
9.4.2 All stages — Transport .59
9.4.3 Construction stage — A5, installation .59
9.4.4 Use stage — B1 to B5 .59
9.4.5 Use stage — B6 to B7 .60
9.4.6 End-of-life stage — C1 to C4 .60
9.4.7 Module D .60
9.5 Declaration of environmental indicators derived from LCA . .61
9.5.1 LCA results from LCIA .61
9.5.2 LCA results from LCI .61
9.6 Declaration of additional environmental information .62
9.6.1 References .62
10 Project report .62
10.1 General .62
10.2 LCA-related elements of the project report .63
10.3 Rules for data confidentiality .64
10.4 Documentation on additional environmental information .64
10.5 Data availability for verification .65
11 Verification and validity of an EPD .65
Annex A (normative) Requirements and guidance on the RSL and ESL .66
Annex B (informative) Examples of average EPDs.69
Annex C (informative) Release of dangerous substances .70
Annex D (informative) Regulated substances of very high concern .72
Annex E (informative) Environmental indicators derived from LCA .73
Bibliography .78
iv © ISO 2017 – All rights reserved

Foreword
ISO (the International Organization for Standardization) is a worldwide federation of national standards
bodies (ISO member bodies). The work of preparing International Standards is normally carried out
through ISO technical committees. Each member body interested in a subject for which a technical
committee has been established has the right to be represented on that committee. International
organizations, governmental and non-governmental, in liaison with ISO, also take part in the work.
ISO collaborates closely with the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) on all matters of
electrotechnical standardization.
The procedures used to develop this document and those intended for its further maintenance are
described in the ISO/IEC Directives, Part 1. In particular the different approval criteria needed for the
different types of ISO documents should be noted. This document was drafted in accordance with the
editorial rules of the ISO/IEC Directives, Part 2 (see www .iso .org/ directives).
Attention is drawn to the possibility that some of the elements of this document may be the subject of
patent rights. ISO shall not be held responsible for identifying any or all such patent rights. Details of
any patent rights identified during the development of the document will be in the Introduction and/or
on the ISO list of patent declarations received (see www .iso .org/ patents).
Any trade name used in this document is information given for the convenience of users and does not
constitute an endorsement.
For an explanation on the voluntary nature of standards, the meaning of ISO specific terms and
expressions related to conformity assessment, as well as information about ISO’s adherence to the
World Trade Organization (WTO) principles in the Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT), see the following
URL: w w w . i s o .org/ iso/ foreword .html.
This document was prepared by Technical Committee ISO/TC 59, Buildings and civil engineering works,
Subcommittee SC 17, Sustainability in buildings and civil engineering works.
This second edition cancels and replaces the first edition (ISO 21930:2007), which has been technically
revised with the following changes:
— updated to apply as the core set of product category rules (PCR) for environmental product
declarations (EPDs) of any construction product or service used in any type of construction works;
— updated to apply to all construction products and services used in any type of construction works;
— guidance on PCR for sub-categories of construction products has been added;
— specific requirements on how to define system boundaries, allocation principles and activities to be
included in information modules has been revised;
— framework for documentation of technical data and guidance for defining scenarios has been added;
— an option to provide supplementary environmental information (module D), which contains
supplementary LCA-based information that describes potential environmental aspects (benefits
and loads) if the primary product is reused, recycled or recovered for energy at the end-of-life has
been added;
— process on how to develop an average EPD for product groups has been added;
— data requirements and data quality have been specified;
— accounting and reporting of biogenic carbon during the life cycle has been added;
— accounting and reporting of delayed emissions of biogenic carbon – biogenic carbon sinks has
been added;
— accounting and reporting of carbonation has been added;
— mandatory reporting of radioactive waste has been added;
— optional impact category abiotic depletion potentials (ADP ) and the mandatory inventory
elements
indicator abiotic depletion potential (ADP ) have been added;
fossil
— an informative annex discussing possible approaches for reporting product volatile organic
compound (VOC) emissions to indoor air and gamma radiation emitted during the use stage of the
life cycle has been added;
— information on methods for reporting product emissions to air, soil and water during the use stage
of the life cycle has been added.
vi © ISO 2017 – All rights reserved

Introduction
Designers, manufacturers, users, owners and other stakeholders in the building and construction sector
are increasingly demanding information that enables them to make decisions to address environmental
impacts of construction works. These demands are currently addressed only through various national
initiatives applying a variety of approaches.
It is essential that there is uniformity in the means and methods of expressing environmental product
declarations (EPDs) using a modular approach, which enables consistent assessment at the construction
works level. This includes a consistent outline and process for developing the parts of the EPD that
are based on basic life cycle inventory data, as well as additional information not based on life cycle
assessment (LCA). The different interested parties expect non-biased information that is consistent
with the current best practice and understanding.
Type III environmental declarations (see ISO 14025) are EPDs providing quantified environmental
data using predetermined parameters that are based on ISO 14040 and ISO 14044 and, where relevant,
additional environmental information.
This document is one in a suite of documents dealing with sustainability in construction works that
includes the following:
a) ISO 15392;
b) ISO 16745-1;
c) ISO 16745-2;
d) ISO 21929-1;
e) ISO 21931-1;
f) ISO/TS 12720;
g) ISO/TS 21929-2;
h) ISO/TR 21932;
1)
i) ISO/CD 20887;
1)
j) ISO/DIS 21931-2.
This document deals only with environmental impacts and aspects and excludes consideration of the
social and economic aspects of sustainability. The relationship among the documents is elaborated in
Figure 1.
1) Under preparation.
Figure 1 — Suite of related documents for sustainability in buildings and civil engineering works
viii © ISO 2017 – All rights reserved

INTERNATIONAL STANDARD ISO 21930:2017(E)
Sustainability in buildings and civil engineering works —
Core rules for environmental product declarations of
construction products and services
1 Scope
This document provides the principles, specifications and requirements to develop an environmental
product declaration (EPD) for construction products and services, construction elements and integrated
technical systems used in any type of construction works.
This document complements ISO 14025 by providing specific requirements for the EPD of construction
products and services.
This document establishes a core set of requirements to be considered as core product category rules
(PCR) to develop an EPD for any construction product or service.
In addition, this document, as the core PCR document for construction products, construction elements
and integrated technical systems:
a) includes the rules for calculating the life cycle inventory analysis (LCI), the predetermined
environmental indicators and the life cycle impact assessment (LCIA) results that are reported in
the EPD;
b) describes which life cycle stages are considered in a particular type of EPD, which processes are to
be included in the life cycle stages and how the stages are subdivided into information modules;
c) defines rules for the development of scenarios;
d) includes the rules for reporting relevant environmental and technical information that are not
covered by LCA;
e) defines the core elements to be included in an EPD;
f) establishes the structure of a project report;
g) defines the conditions under which construction products can be compared, based on the
information provided by an EPD;
h) provides requirements and guidelines on PCR for sub-categories of construction products;
i) includes mandatory and unalterable requirements for any PCR based on this document.
EPDs for construction products, as described in this document, are primarily intended for use in B2B
communication, but their use in B2C communication under certain conditions is not precluded. For
EPDs intended for B2C communication, refer to ISO 14025 (see 5.4).
The assessment of social and economic impacts at the product level is not covered by this document.
NOTE 1 In this document, unless otherwise designated, the term construction product is used for any good(s)
or service(s) related to construction works.
NOTE 2 Construction assemblies, construction elements and integrated technical systems, incorporated
within construction works, can be considered construction products.
2 Normative references
The following documents are referred to in the text in such a way that some or all of their content
constitutes requirements of this document. For dated references, only the edition cited applies. For
undated references, the latest edition of the referenced document (including any amendments) applies.
ISO 6707-1, Buildings and civil engineering works — Vocabulary — Part 1: General terms
ISO 14020:2000, Environmental labels and declarations — General principles
ISO 14025:2006, Environmental labels and declarations — Type III environmental declarations —
Principles and procedures
ISO 14044:2006, Environmental management — Life cycle assessment — Requirements and guidelines
ISO 14046:2014, Environmental management — Water footprint — Principles, requirements and guidelines
ISO 14050:2009, Environmental management — Vocabulary
ISO 15392:2008, Sustainability in building construction — General principles
ISO 15686-1:2011, Buildings and constructed assets — Service life planning — Part 1: General principles
and framework
ISO 15686-2, Buildings and constructed assets — Service life planning — Part 2: Service life prediction
procedures
ISO 15686-7, Buildings and constructed assets — Service life planning — Part 7: Performance evaluation
for feedback of service life data from practice
ISO 15686-8, Buildings and constructed assets — Service-life planning — Part 8: Reference service life and
service-life estimation
ISO 21931-1:2010, Sustainability in building construction — Framework for methods of assessment of the
environmental performance of construction works — Part 1: Buildings
ISO/TR 21932, Sustainability in buildings and civil engineering works — A review of terminology
EN 15804, Sustainability of construction works — Environmental product declarations — Core rules for
the product category of construction products
3 Terms and definitions
For the purposes of this document, the terms and definitions given in ISO 6707-1, ISO 14050,
ISO/TR 21932 and the following apply.
ISO and IEC maintain terminological databases for use in standardization at the following addresses:
— IEC Electropedia: available at http:// www .electropedia .org/
— ISO Online browsing platform: available at http:// www .iso .org/ obp
2 © ISO 2017 – All rights reserved

3.1 Terms relating to environmental labelling and declarations
3.1.1
environmental product declaration
EPD
Type III environmental declaration
environmental declaration (ISO 14025:2006, 3.1) providing quantified environmental data using
predetermined parameters and, where relevant, additional environmental information
Note 1 to entry: The predetermined parameters are based on ISO 14040 and ISO 14044.
Note 2 to entry: The additional environmental information can be quantitative or qualitative.
Note 3 to entry: The shorter initialism, EPD, is used as the primary preferred term in this document.
[SOURCE: ISO 14025:2006, 3.2, modified — Two new preferred terms and Note 3 to entry have been
added.]
3.1.2
programme operator
body or bodies that conduct an EPD programme (ISO 14025:2006, 3.3)
Note 1 to entry: A programme operator can be a company or a group of companies, industrial sector or trade
association, public authority or agency, or an independent scientific body or other organization.
Note 2 to entry: The responsibilities of a programme operator are summarized in ISO 14025:2006, 6.3.
[SOURCE: ISO 14025:2006, 3.4, modified — Note 2 to entry has been added.]
3.1.3
product category
group of construction products (3.2.2), construction elements (3.2.3) or integrated technical systems
(3.2.4) that can fulfil equivalent functions
Note 1 to entry: Where the function of the construction product is not otherwise described, the product category
can be established on the basis of using the same rules when assessing the environmental performance (3.2.9)
within an EPD (3.1.1). An example of this would be a product category for solid wood (ISO 6707-1:2004, 6.3.1),
where EPDs based on the same PCR (3.1.3) are published for a number of different timber (ISO 6707-1:2004,
6.3.2) construction products, e.g. softwood plywood (ISO 6707-1:2004, 6.3.29), sawn timber (sawn wood)
(ISO 6707-1:2004, 6.3.18), oriented strandboard (ISO 16894:2009, 3.1.1), etc.
Note 2 to entry: This definition reflects and allows for current practice, in that it provides the ability for a product
category to be established and not include the necessity of common functionality within such a product category.
[SOURCE: ISO 14025:2006, 3.12, modified — Notes 1 and 2 to entry have been added to allow for the
establishment of the product category and basis for assessment to be either equivalent function or
equivalent PCR.]
3.1.4
product category rules
PCR
set of specific rules, requirements and guidelines for developing EPDs (3.1.1) for one or more product
categories (3.1.3)
Note 1 to entry: The shorter initialism, PCR, is used as the primary preferred term in this document.
[SOURCE: ISO 14025:2006, 3.5, modified — Note 1 to entry has been added.]
3.1.5
sub-category PCR
set of specific rules, requirements and guidelines, which provide additional, consistent requirements
to the core PCR (3.1.4), for developing EPDs (3.1.1) for sub-categories of the overall product category
(3.1.3) of construction products (3.2.2)
Note 1 to entry: A sub-category PCR is meant to be used together with this document.
3.1.6
PCR review
process whereby a third party (3.1.7) panel verifies the PCR (3.1.4)
[SOURCE: ISO 14025:2006, 3.6]
3.1.7
third party
person or body that is recognized as being independent of the parties involved concerning the issues in
question
Note 1 to entry: “Parties involved” are usually the supplier (ISO 6707-1:2004, 8.6) or manufacturer
(ISO 6707-1:2004, 8.5) (“first party”), the LCA practitioner conducting the LCA (3.3.2) and/or developing the EPD
(3.1.1) (“second party”) and the verifier (ISO 14050:2009, 5.3) (“third party”).
[SOURCE: ISO 14024:1999, 3.7, modified— Note 1 to entry has been revised.]
3.1.8
scenario
collection of assumptions and information relevant to possible future events
[SOURCE: EN 15804:2012 +A1: 2013, 3.27, modified — Reference to “concerning an expected sequence”
has been removed.]
3.1.9
information module
compilation of data to be used as a basis for an EPD (3.1.1), covering a unit process (3.4.1) or a combination
of unit processes that are part of the life cycle (ISO 14040:2006, 3.1) of a product (ISO 14050:2009, 3.2)
[SOURCE: ISO 14025:2006, 3.13]
3.1.10
additional technical information
information (ISO 6707-1:2004, 7.2.1) that forms part of the EPD (3.1.1) by providing a basis for the
development of scenarios (3.1.8)
[SOURCE: EN 15804:2012 +A1: 2013, 3.1]
3.1.11
declared unit
quantity of a construction product (3.2.2) for use as a reference unit in an EPD (3.1.1) based on LCA
(3.3.2), for the expression of environmental information needed in information modules (3.1.9)
EXAMPLE Mass (kilogram or metric tonne), volume (cubic metre).
Note 1 to entry: The declared unit is used where the function (ISO 15686-10:2010, 3.10) and the reference scenario
(3.1.8) for the whole life cycle (3.3.1), on the construction works (3.2.1) level, cannot be stated.
3.1.12
average EPD
EPD (3.1.1) based on average data (3.5.6)
4 © ISO 2017 – All rights reserved

3.2 Terms relating to construction works and construction products
3.2.1
construction works
everything that is constructed or results from construction operations
Note 1 to entry: Construction works covers all buildings (ISO 6707-1:2004, 3.1.3) and civil engineering works
(ISO 6707-1:2004, 3.1.2).
[SOURCE: ISO 6707-1:2004, 3.1.1, modified — Note 1 to entry has been added.]
3.2.2
construction product
item manufactured or processed for incorporation in construction works (3.2.1)
Note 1 to entry: Construction products are items supplied by a single responsible body.
Note 2 to entry: In this document, unless otherwise designated, the term construction product is used for any
good(s) or service(s) related to construction works.
Note 3 to entry: Construction assemblies (ISO 6707-1:2004, 5.5.5), construction elements (3.2.3) and integrated
technical systems (3.2.4), incorporated within construction works, can be considered construction products.
[SOURCE: ISO 6707-1:2004, 6.1.2, modified — “Construction product” has been indicated as the primary
preferred term used to designate this concept and Notes to entry have been added.]
3.2.3
construction element
part of a construction (ISO 6707-1:2004, 5.5.6) containing a defined combination of construction
products (3.2.2)
[SOURCE: EN 15804:2012 +A1: 2013, 3.9]
3.2.4
integrated technical systems
installed technical equipment to support the operation of construction works (3.2.1)
Note 1 to entry: This includes technical equipment for heating, cooling, ventilation, domestic hot water, lighting
and electricity production and other systems for sanitation, security, fire safety and internal transport.
Note 2 to entry: This can include technical systems that are integrated into construction products (3.2.2), such as
interfaces for electronic controls.
Note 3 to entry: Derived from the definition of “technical building systems” in ISO 16818:2008, 3.225.
3.2.5
product group
group of construction products (3.2.2), construction elements (3.2.3) or integrated technical systems
(3.2.4) that can fulfil equivalent functions for a specific sub-category PCR (3.1.5)
Note 1 to entry: The product group can be made by the same manufacturer (ISO 6707-1:2004, 8.5) or made by
different manufacturers.
3.2.6
construction service
activity that supports the construction works (3.2.1) or subsequent maintenance (ISO 6707-1:2004, 7.1.40)
[SOURCE: EN 15804:2012 +A1: 2013, 3.6, modified — Reference to construction works has been
inserted.]
3.2.7
performance
ability of a construction product (3.2.2) or construction service (3.2.6) to fulfil required functions under
intended use conditions
[SOURCE: ISO 6707-1:2004, 9.1.1, modified — Specific reference to construction product and
construction service have been added and the second intension, “behaviour in use”, has been removed.]
3.2.8
functional equivalent
quantified functional requirements and/or technical requirements for a construction works (3.2.1) or a
construction (ISO 6707-1: 2004, 5.5.6) (part of works) for use as a basis for comparison
[SOURCE: ISO 21931-1:2010, 3.7, modified — References have been added to expand concept to apply to
all construction works and also indicate that a construction (part of the works) can also be assigned a
functional equivalent.]
3.2.9
environmental performance
performance (3.2.7) related to environmental impacts (ISO 15392:2008, 3.13.2) and environmental
aspects (ISO 15392:2008, 3.10)
[SOURCE: ISO 15392:2008, 3.12]
3.2.10
construction site
area where construction work (ISO 6707-1:2004, 7.1.1) is undertaken or construction services (3.2.6) are
provided
[SOURCE: ISO 6707-1:2004, 3.1.6, modified — To indicate “construction site” as the preferred term,
generalize the concept to an “area”, and to include construction services and exclude other development.]
3.2.11
service life
period of time after installation during which a construction works (3.2.1) or its parts meet or exceed
the performance requirement(s) (ISO 6707-1:2004, 9.1.16)
[SOURCE: ISO 6707-1:2004, 9.3.84, modified — Reference to building has been changed to
construction works.]
3.2.12
reference service life
RSL
service life (3.2.11) of a construction product (3.2.2) which is known to be expected under a set of
reference in-use conditions (3.2.16) and which can form the basis for estimating the service life under
other in-use conditions (3.2.15)
Note 1 to entry: The RSL is described as part of the functional unit (3.4.5) and considered in the calculation of
replacements at both the construction product level and construction works (3.2.1) level (B4) and refurbishment
(ISO 6707-1:2004, 7.19) (B5) (see 7.1.7.4).
Note 2 to entry: The shorter initialism, RSL, is used as the primary preferred term in this document.
[SOURCE: ISO 15686-1:2011, 3.22, modified — Reference to construction product has been inserted to
capture broad group and Notes to entry have been added.]
6 © ISO 2017 – All rights reserved

3.2.13
estimated service life
ESL
service life (3.2.11) that part(s) of a construction works (3.2.1) would be expected to have in a set of
specific in-use conditions (3.2.15), determined from RSL data (3.2.17) after taking into account any
differences from the reference in-use conditions (3.2.16)
Note 1 to entry: The ESL is considered in the calculation of replacements at both the construction product (3.2.2)
level and construction works (3.2.1) level (B4) and refurbishment (ISO 6707-1:2004, 7.19) (B5) (see 7.1.7.4).
Note 2 to entry: The shortened term, ESL, is used as the primary preferred term in this document.
[SOURCE: ISO 15686-1:2011, 3.7, modified — Specific reference has been made to (a) part(s) of a
construction works and Notes to entry have been added.]
3.2.14
required service life
service life (3.2.11) required by the client or through regulations
Note 1 to entry: The required service life is considered in the calculation of replacements at both the construction
product (3.2.2) level and construction works (3.2.1) level (B4) and refurbishment (ISO 6707-1:2004, 7.19) (B5) (see
7.1.7.4).
3.2.15
in-use condition
any circumstance that can impact on the performance (3.2.7) of a construction works (3.2.1) or a
constructed asset (ISO 15686-1:2011, 3.1.15), or a part thereof, under normal use
Note 1 to entry: See ISO 15686-8 for further discussion.
[SOURCE: ISO 15686-1:2011, 3.10, modified — Reference to building has been changed to construction
works and Note 1 to entry has been revised.]
3.2.16
reference in-use condition
in-use condition (3.2.15) under which the reference RSL data (3.2.17) are valid
Note 1 to entry: See ISO 15686-8 for further discussion.
Note 2 to entry: The reference in-use conditions can be based upon information gathered through testing or from
recorded performance (3.2.7) and actual service life (3.2.11) data of a component (ISO 6707-1:2004, 6.1.3).
[SOURCE: ISO 15686-1:2011, 3.21, modified — Note 1 to entry has been revised.]
3.2.17
reference service life data
RSL data
information that includes the RSL (3.2.12) and any qualitative or quantitative data describing the
validity of the RSL
Note 1 to entry: Typical data describing the validity of the RSL include the description of the component
(ISO 6707-1:2004, 6.1.3) for which it applies, the reference in-use conditions (3.2.16) under which it applies and its
quality (ISO 6707-1:2004, 9.1.12).
Note 2 to entry: The shortened term, RSL data, is used as the primary preferred term in this document.
[SOURCE: ISO 15686-1:2011, 3.23, modified — Note 1 entry has been replaced by Note 2 to entry and a
new Note 2 to entry has been added.]
3.3 Terms relating to life cycle assessment
3.3.1
life cycle
all consecutive and interlinked stages in the life of the object under consideration
Note 1 to entry: For consideration of environmental impacts (ISO 21931-1:2010, 3.4) and environmental aspects
(ISO 15392:2008, 3.10), the life cycle comprises all stages, from raw material (ISO 14040:2006, 3.15) acquisition
or generation from natural resources to end-of-life.
Note 2 to entry: Adapted from the definition of “life cycle” in ISO 14040:2006, 3.1.
3.3.2
life cycle assessment
LCA
compilation and evaluation of the inputs (ISO 14040:2006, 3.21), outputs (ISO 14040:2006, 3.25) and
the potential environmental impacts (ISO 21931-1:2010, 3.4) of a product system (ISO 14040:2006, 3.28)
throughout its life cycle (ISO 14040:2006, 3.1)
Note 1 to entry: The shorter initialism, LCA, is used as the primary preferred term in this document.
[SOURCE: ISO 14040:2006, 3.2, modified — Note 1 to entry has been added.]
3.3.3
life cycle inventory analysis
LCI
phase of LCA (3.3.2) involving the compilation and quantification of inputs (ISO 14040:2006, 3.21)
and outputs (ISO 14040:2006, 3.25) for a product (ISO 14050:2009, 3.2) throughout its life cycle
(ISO 14040:2006, 3.1)
Note 1 to entry: The shorter initialism, LCI, is used as the primary preferred term in this document.
[SOURCE: ISO 14040:2006, 3.3, modified — Note 1 to entry has been added.]
3.3.4
life cycle inventory analysis result
LCI result
outcome of a LCI (3.3.3) that catalogues the flows crossing the system boundary (3.4.4) and provides the
starting point for LCIA (3.3.5)
[SOURCE: ISO 14040:2006, 3.24]
3.3.5
life cycle impact assessment
LCIA
phase of LCA (3.3.2) aimed at understanding and evaluating the magnitude and significance of the
potential environmental impacts (ISO 21931-1:2010, 3.4) for a product system (ISO 14040:2006, 3.28)
throughout the life cycle (ISO 14040:2006, 3.1) of the product (ISO 14050:2009, 3.2)
Note 1 to entry: The shorter initialism, LCIA, is used as the primary preferred term in this document.
[SOURCE: ISO 14040:2006, 3.4, modified — Note 1 to entry has been added.]
3.3.6
characterization factor
factor derived from a characterization model that is applied to convert an assigned LCI result (3.3.4) to
the common unit of the impact category indicator (ISO 14040:2006, 3.40)
[SOURCE: ISO 14044:2006, 3.37, modified — Note 1 to entry has been removed.]
8 © ISO 2017 – All rights reserved

3.3.7
CO e
carbon dioxide equivalent
CO equivalent
unit for comparing the radiative forcing of a greenhouse gas (ISO 14064-1:2006, 3.1) to that of
carbon dioxide
Note 1 to entry: Mass of a greenhouse gas is converted into CO e using global warming potentials
(ISO 14050:2009, 9.3.4).
Note 2 to entry: The shortened term, CO e, is used as the primary preferred term in this document.
[SOURCE: ISO 14050:2009, 9.3.5, modified — Original Note 1 to entry has been clarified and Note 2 to
entry has been added.]
3.3.8
gate
point at which the construction product (3.2.2) or material (ISO 6707-1:2004, 6.1.1) leaves the factory
before it becomes an input into a subsequent manufacturing process (ISO 21931-1:2010, 3.11) or before
it is transported to a distributor, another factory or a construction site (3.2.10)
[SOURCE: ISO 21931-1:2010, 3.8, modified — Building references have been revised to broaden concept
to implicate all forms of construction works.]
3.3.9
transparency
open, comprehensive and understandable presentation of information
[SOURCE: ISO 14040:2006, 3.7]
3.3.10
transparent
open, comprehensive and understandable
Note 1 to entry: Derived from the definition of transparency (3.3.9).
3.3.11
waste
substances or objects which the holder intends or is required to dispose of
Note 1 to entry: The definition is taken from the Basel Convention on the Control of Transboundary Movements of
Hazardous Wastes and Their Disposal (22 March 1989) but is not confined in this document to hazardous waste.
[SOURCE: ISO 14040:2006, 3.35]
3.4 Terms relating to product systems
3.4.1
unit process
smallest element considered in the LCI (3.3.3) for which input (ISO 14040:2006, 3.21) and output
(ISO 14040:2006, 3.25) data are quantified
[SOURCE: ISO 14040:200
...