EN 15978:2026

SLOVENSKI STANDARD
oSIST prEN 15978:2024
01-julij-2024
Trajnostnost gradbenih objektov - Vrednotenje učinkov ravnanja z okoljem v
stavbah - Zahteve in navodilo
Sustainability of construction works - Assessment of environmental performance of
buildings - Requirements and guidance
Nachhaltigkeit von Bauwerken - Bewertung der Umweltleistung von Gebäuden -
Anforderungen und Anleitungen
Contribution des ouvrages de construction au développement durable - Évaluation de la
performance environnementale des bâtiments - Exigences et recommandations
Ta slovenski standard je istoveten z: prEN 15978
ICS:
13.020.20 Okoljska ekonomija. Environmental economics.
Trajnostnost Sustainability
91.040.01 Stavbe na splošno Buildings in general
oSIST prEN 15978:2024 en,fr,de
2003-01.Slovenski inštitut za standardizacijo. Razmnoževanje celote ali delov tega standarda ni dovoljeno.

oSIST prEN 15978:2024
oSIST prEN 15978:2024
DRAFT
EUROPEAN STANDARD
prEN 15978
NORME EUROPÉENNE
EUROPÄISCHE NORM
May 2024
ICS 91.040.99 Will supersede EN 15978:2011
English Version
Sustainability of construction works - Assessment of
environmental performance of buildings - Methodology
Contribution des ouvrages de construction au Nachhaltigkeit von Bauwerken - Bewertung der
développement durable - Evaluation de la performance umweltbezogenen Qualität von Gebäuden -
environnementale des bâtiments - Méthode de calcul Berechnungsmethode
This draft European Standard is submitted to CEN members for enquiry. It has been drawn up by the Technical Committee
CEN/TC 350.
If this draft becomes a European Standard, CEN members are bound to comply with the CEN/CENELEC Internal Regulations
which stipulate the conditions for giving this European Standard the status of a national standard without any alteration.

This draft European Standard was established by CEN in three official versions (English, French, German). A version in any other
language made by translation under the responsibility of a CEN member into its own language and notified to the CEN-CENELEC
Management Centre has the same status as the official versions.

CEN members are the national standards bodies of Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia,
Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway,
Poland, Portugal, Republic of North Macedonia, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Türkiye and
United Kingdom.
Recipients of this draft are invited to submit, with their comments, notification of any relevant patent rights of which they are
aware and to provide supporting documentation.

Warning : This document is not a European Standard. It is distributed for review and comments. It is subject to change without
notice and shall not be referred to as a European Standard.

EUROPEAN COMMITTEE FOR STANDARDIZATION
COMITÉ EUROPÉEN DE NORMALISATION

EUROPÄISCHES KOMITEE FÜR NORMUNG

CEN-CENELEC Management Centre: Rue de la Science 23, B-1040 Brussels
© 2024 CEN All rights of exploitation in any form and by any means reserved Ref. No. prEN 15978:2024 E
worldwide for CEN national Members.

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prEN 15978:2024 (E)
Contents
European foreword . 4
Introduction . 5
1 Scope . 8
2 Normative references . 8
3 Terms and definitions . 9
4 Abbreviations . 21
5 The assessment process . 22
6 Purpose of the assessment . 23
7 Specification of the object of assessment . 25
7.1 General. 25
7.2 Functional equivalent . 25
7.3 Reference study period . 27
7.4 System boundary . 28
7.5 Building model for performance assessment . 53
7.6 Quantification of the building parts and their life cycle . 57
8 Scenarios for describing/defining the building life cycle . 60
8.1 General. 60
8.2 Requirements for scenarios . 61
8.3 Time-related characteristics and associated scenarios. 62
8.4 Scenarios for climate conditions . 62
8.5 Scenarios for the pre-construction stage (module A0) . 63
8.6 Scenarios for the product stage (modules A1 to A3). 63
8.7 Scenarios for the construction process stage (modules A4-A5) . 63
8.8 Scenarios for Use Stage (modules B1 to B8) . 64
8.9 Scenarios for the end of life stage (modules C1 to C4) . 67
8.10 Scenarios for benefits and loads beyond the system boundary - Module D . 68
9 Level of granularity of assessment and relevant data needs . 69
9.1 General. 69
9.2 Data Needs and data quality . 70
9.3 Quantification specific to operational energy use . 71
9.4 Quantification specific to operational water use . 71
9.5 Using Environmental Product Declaration(s) - EPD . 72
10 Calculation of the environmental indicators . 72
10.1 Environmental impacts and aspects and related indicators . 72
10.2 Indicators describing environmental aspects relating to the local environment . 77
11 Synergies between circularity and environmental performance of buildings. 79
12 The Assessment Report . 79
12.1 General. 79
12.2 General information on the assessment . 79
12.3 General information on the object of assessment . 80
12.4 Statement of boundaries and scenarios used in the assessment . 81
12.5 Statement regarding the building model description . 81
12.6 Data sources, types and quality . 81
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12.7 List of indicators used for assessment and expression of results . 81
12.8 Specific information in the assessment report . 82
13 Communication of assessment results . 83
14 Verification of results . 84
Annex A (normative) Building-integrated and site generated energy reporting . 85
A.1 General . 85
A.2 Approach A . 85
A.3 Approach B . 86
A.4 Documentation and reporting of background information . 86
A.5 Illustrative example of reporting impacts under Approaches A and B . 88
A.6 Energy use and exported energy scenarios (following Approach A) . 94
Annex B (normative) Information describing environmental aspects and impacts to local
environment . 98
B.1 General . 98
B.2 Local land use and land use change . 98
B.3 Local emissions to outdoor air, soil and ground and surface water . 100
Annex C (normative) Synergies between circularity and the environmental performance of
buildings . 102
C.1 General . 102
C.2 Purpose . 102
C.3 Coverage of circularity aspects . 102
C.4 Scenarios . 103
C.5 Level of detail of the constituent parts . 103
C.6 Bill of materials . 103
C.7 Scoring . 104
C.8 Ease of disassembly . 104
C.9 Reuse and recycling potential of dismantled building products and components . 105
C.10 Contribution to overarching United Nations sustainable development goals (SDG
goals) . 110
Bibliography . 111

oSIST prEN 15978:2024
prEN 15978:2024 (E)
European foreword
This document (prEN 15978:2024) has been prepared by Technical Committee CEN/TC 350
“Sustainability of construction works”, the secretariat of which is held by AFNOR.
This document is currently submitted to the CEN Enquiry.
This document will supersede EN 15978:2011.
In relation to EN 15978:2011, the following changes have been made:
— Environmental impact indicators have been aligned with EN 15804+A2;
— prEN 15978 has been aligned with EN 15643 regarding modules A0, B8 and D1 and D2;
— Use of baseline and future prospect scenarios have been described;
— Requirements and recommendations have been provided for different design stages;
— Existing and forthcoming national and EU regulations have been taken into account in the
requirements written in prEN 15978, e.g. decarbonation of energy production;
— System boundaries of module B7 “Operational Water Use” (B7.1, B7.2 and B7.3) have been provided
in a detailed way similar to module B6 “Operational Energy Use” (B6.1, B6.2 and B6.3);
— The assignment of activities between B4 (Replacement) and B5 (Refurbishment) has been clarified;
— Two approaches for the reporting of building generated energy have been described in Clause 7 and
Annex A to improve transparency:
— Approach A as in EN 15978:2011 and
— Approach B where a proportion of the embodied impacts of the energy production appliances
that export energy are outside the system boundary of the building together with their
operational impacts and these are reported as additional information
— Impacts resulting from the user’s activities may be declared optionally in Module B8, including
impacts of commuting of users.
— To ensure that all on-site activities are considered, a separate sub-module A5.1 has been introduced
to account for deconstruction of existing construction works with the benefits and loads beyond the
system boundary in module D1.
— Synergies between circularity and the environmental performance of buildings are included in the
normative text and in Annex C in prEN 15978.
— Demand for information concerning environmental impacts and aspects at the local environment
level is in the normative text in prEN 15978.
This document has been prepared under a mandate given to CEN by the European Commission and the
European Free Trade Association.
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prEN 15978:2024 (E)
Introduction
The purpose of this document is to provide calculation rules for the assessment of the environmental
performance of new and existing buildings.
This document is part of a suite of European Standards, Technical Specifications and Technical Reports
for the assessment of the environmental performance of buildings that together support quantification
of the contribution of the assessed building to sustainable construction and sustainable development.
The environmental performance of a building is only one aspect of its sustainability. The social and
economic performance of the building are also aspects of sustainability that should be assessed as part
of a sustainability assessment. These are described in the framework standard (EN 15643).
NOTE 1 The environmental assessment at building level requires information from products and services
(EN 15804:2012+A2:2019).
The evaluation of technical and functional performance is beyond the scope of this document. Technical
and functional characteristics are taken into account here by reference to the functional equivalent, which
also forms a basis for comparison of the results of assessments.
This document is intended to support the decision-making process and documentation of the assessment
of the environmental performance of a building. The assessment results are based on scenarios. that
affect the environmental performance of the building, such scenarios are uncertain, for example, there
may be new processes and/or technologies or changes in operation, and could affect the assessment
result. Figure 1 illustrates how the assessment of the environmental performance takes place within the
concept of the sustainability assessment of buildings.

Figure 1 — Concept of sustainability assessment of buildings
NOTE 2 The outer box with the red dotted line represents the area standardized by CEN/TC 350.
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In this document, the assessment method for the quantitative evaluation of the environmental
performance of the building is based on a life cycle approach. The general requirements for sustainability
assessment of buildings are described in EN 15643 (the general framework standard). Other standards
developed by CEN/TC 350 in this area, and how they are related to this European Standard, are shown in
Figure 2
Figure 2 — Standards of CEN/TC 350
NOTE 3 This document supports the assessment of buildings within the Level(s) Framework (see Bibliography)
for macro objectives 1, (Greenhouse gas emissions along a building’s life cycle), 2 (Resource efficient and circular
material life cycles) and 3 (Efficient use of water resources). Other standards from CEN/TC350 can also support
Level(s) macro Objectives 4 (Healthy and comfortable spaces) and 5 (Adaptation and resilience to climate change),
EN16309, and macro objective 6 (Optimized life cycle cost and value), EN 16627.
NOTE 4 Level(s), is a common European approach to assess and report on the sustainability of buildings. Using
existing standards, the voluntary Level(s) framework provides a common language for building sustainability,
which other initiatives can also use. More information can be found at Level(s) (europa.eu).
Buildings and constructed assets have an impact on sustainable development. Therefore, the
internationally recognized Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) formulated by the United Nations also
apply to the construction and real estate industry. As part of targets towards sustainable cities and
communities formulated in SDG 11, the construction of sustainable and resilient buildings is also
required, as is an efficient use of natural resource and a substantial reduction of waste generation through
prevention, reduction, and reuse formulated in SDG12. These goals are closely interrelated with the other
SDGs. Both providers and buyers of real estate need clear characteristics and assessment criteria in order
to evaluate, assess and communicate the contribution of buildings to sustainable development.
Assessments based on the requirements of this document can be used to demonstrate whether the
development and use of an assessed building has the potential to contribute to United Nations SDG Goals
11, 12, and 13, and other SDGs such as 6, 7, and 15 (Figure 3)

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Figure 3 — Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) formulated by the
United Nations, particularly relevant to the environmental performance of buildings and
constructed assets
NOTE 5 EN ISO 52000-1, in common with all EPB standards, provides a certain flexibility with regard to the
methods, the required input data and references to other EPB standards. For the use of EN52000-1, informative
default choices are provided in EN ISO 52000-1:2017, Annex B.
NOTE 6 In the case EN ISO 52000-1 is used in the context of national or regional legal requirements, mandatory
choices can be given at national or regional level for such specific applications.

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1 Scope
This document specifies the calculation method, based on Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) and other
quantified environmental information, to assess the environmental performance of a building and its site,
and gives the means for the reporting and communication of the outcome of the assessment. The standard
is applicable to new and existing buildings and refurbishment projects.
The document gives:
— the description of the object of assessment,
— the system boundary that applies at the building level,
— the procedure to be used for the inventory analysis,
— the list of indicators and procedures for the calculation of these indicators,
— demand for information concerning environmental impacts and aspects at the local environment
level (including emissions to indoor air),
— demand for information concerning building generated energy reporting and design for circularity
as technical characteristics that support environmental performance,
— the requirements for the data necessary for the calculation, and
— the requirements for presentation of the results in reporting and communication.
The approach to the assessment covers all stages of the building life cycle and is based on data obtained
from Environmental Product Declarations (EPD), their “information modules”
(EN 15804:2012+A2:2019) and other data and information necessary and relevant for carrying out the
assessment. The assessment includes all building related construction products, processes and services,
used over the life cycle of the building.
Methodologies for and approaches to the interpretation and the making of value judgments of the results
of the assessment are not within the scope of this document.
NOTE 1 This document provides system boundaries, calculation rules and indicators to compile and assess the
life cycle inventory and life cycle environmental impacts of buildings.
NOTE 2 The document also provides the methodological basis and assessment rules to support the achievement
of environment related macro objectives in Europe and instruments such as the European reporting framework
Level(s). More information can be found at Level(s) (europa.eu).
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.
EN 15316-4-5, Energy performance of buildings - Method for calculation of system energy requirements and
system efficiencies - Part 4-5: District heating and cooling
EN 15643:2021, Sustainability of construction works — Framework for assessment of buildings and civil
engineering works
EN15804:2012+A2:2019, Sustainability of construction works — Environmental product declarations —
Core rules for the product category of construction products
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EN 15941:2024, Sustainability of construction works — Data quality for environmental assessment of
products and construction works — Selection and use of data
EN ISO 52000-1 Energy performance of buildings — Overarching EPB assessment — Part 1: General
framework and procedures
ISO 15686-1:2011, Building and constructed assets — Service life planning — Part 1: General principles
and framework
ISO 15686-2, Building and constructed assets — Service life planning — Part 2: Service life prediction
procedures
ISO 15686-7, Building and constructed assets — Service life planning — Part 7: Performance evaluation for
feedback of service life data from practice
ISO 15686-8, Building and constructed assets — Service life planning — Part 8: Reference service life and
service-life estimation
3 Terms and definitions
For the purposes of this document, the following terms and definitions apply:
ISO and IEC maintain terminological databases for use in standardization at the following addresses:
• IEC Electropedia: available at https://www.electropedia.org/
• ISO Online browsing platform: available at https://www.iso.org/obp
3.1
average data
calculated mean of data based on a fully representative sample for a construction product (0) or
construction service (EN 15804:2012+A2:2019, 3.7), provided by one or more manufacturers, either from
their multiple plants or based on multiple similar construction products of the manufacturer(s)
Note 1 to entry: The product category or construction service can contain similar products or construction services.
[SOURCE: EN 15941:2024, 3.1]
3.2
brief
document that states the client’s (3.7) requirements for a construction project
[SOURCE: ISO 6707-2:2017, 3.2.18, modified – terms “client” and “construction” added in the definition]
3.3
building < noun >
construction works (3.14) that have the provision of shelter for its occupants or contents as one of its
main purposes and are usually enclosed and designed to stand permanently in one place
[SOURCE: ISO 6707-1:2020, 3.1.1.3 modified – “partially and totally” has been removed from the
definition; Note 1 to entry deleted]
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3.4
building fabric
all construction products (3.11) that are fixed to the building (3.3) in a permanent manner, so that the
dismantling of the product changes the performance of the building and the dismantling or replacement
of the product constitute construction operations
3.5
building integrated system
installed technical equipment that enables the continued operation of a building’s (3.3) core functions
Note 1 to entry: This includes the technical equipment for space heating, space cooling, ventilation, domestic hot
water, built-in (installed) lighting, in building transportation (e.g. lifts, escalators, travelators) building automation
and control, on-site electricity generation, or a combination thereof, (including those systems using energy from
renewable sources), and other systems e.g. for sanitation, security, fire safety, and IT communications.
Note 2 to entry: Building-integrated technical equipment (including onsite energy generating equipment) are
construction products/building components.
3.6
cleaning
all operations that ensure a level of cleanliness and appearance, consisting of separating and eliminating
generally visible dirt from a surface by means of the following combined factors, in variable proportions,
such as chemical action, mechanical action, temperature, duration of application
[SOURCE: ISO 22716:2007, 2.8]
3.7
client
person or organization that requires a building (3.3) to be provided, altered or extended and is
responsible for initiating and financing a project, and approving the brief (3.2)
[SOURCE: ISO 6707-2:2017, 3.8.2,]
3.8
complementary product category rules
c-PCR
product group specific or horizontal PCR, which provide additional compliant and non-contradictory
requirements to EN 15804
Note 1 to entry: c-PCR are meant to be used together with EN 15804.
[SOURCE: CEN/TR 16970:2016, 3.1]
3.9
component
construction product (3.11) manufactured as a distinct unit to serve a specific function or functions
[SOURCE: ISO 6707-1:2020, 3.4.13, modified – term construction added]
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3.10
construction element
building component
building element
assembled system
part of works
component (3.9) or a set of assembled components incorporated in a building (0) or other construction
works (3.14)
[SOURCE: EN 15643:2021, 3.15]
3.11
construction product
item manufactured or processed for incorporation in construction works (3.14)
[SOURCE: EN 15643:2021, 3.16]
3.12
construction site
area where construction work (3.13) is undertaken or construction services (EN 15804:2012+A2:2019,
3.7) are provided
[SOURCE: ISO 21930:2017, 3.2.10]
3.13
construction work
activities of forming a construction works (3.14)
Note 1 to entry: Refers to both buildings (3.3) and civil engineering works (EN 15643:2021, 3.10)
[SOURCE: ISO 6707-1:2020, 3.1.1.1, modified - Note 1 to entry deleted]
3.14
construction works
all constructed assets (buildings (3.3), civil engineering works (EN 15643:2021, 3.10), landscaping (3.40),
external works (3.29) and other structures) resulting from construction operations
Note 1 to entry: This includes buildings, civil engineering works, structures, landscaping, external works and other
types of construction within a built environment.
Note 2 to entry: From an economic perspective, completed construction works are typically referred to as a
constructed asset.
[SOURCE: ISO 15392:2019, modified – some terms in Note 1 to entry combined into definition]
3.15
cut-off criteria
specification of the amount of material or energy flows or the level of significance associated with unit
processes or product system that may be excluded from a study
[SOURCE: EN ISO 14044:2006+A12017, 3.18, modified – term “flow” made plural, term “environmental”
deleted from definition, term “to be” replaced in the definition by “that may be” after term “product
system”]
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3.16
declared unit
quantity of a construction product (0) for use as a reference unit in an EPD (0) for an environmental
declaration based on one or more information modules
EXAMPLE Mass (kg), volume (m ).
Note 1 to entry Adapted from the definition in ISO 21930:2017.
[SOURCE EN 15804:2012+A2:2019, 3.9]
3.17
deconstruction
process of selectively and systematically dismantling a building (3.3) to reduce the amount of waste (3.68)
created and generate a supply of high value secondary materials (3.58) that are suitable for reuse (3.56)
and recycling (3.48)
3.18
design for deconstruction
design of a building (3.3), building component (3.10), or construction product (3.11) that will permit the
selective and systematic dismantling of a buildings to reduce the amount of waste (3.68) created and
generate a supply of high value secondary materials (3.58) that are suitable for reuse (3.56) and recycling
(3.48)
3.19
disassembly
non-destructive taking-apart of a construction works (3.14) or constructed asset into constituent
materials or components (3.9, 3.10)
[SOURCE: ISO 20887:2020, 3.12, modified - Note 1 has been removed]
3.20
design for disassembly
approach to the design of a product or constructed asset that facilitates disassembly (3.19) at the end of
its useful life, in such a way that enables components (3.9, 3.10) and parts to be reused (3.56), recycled,
(3.47), recovered (3.46) for energy or, in some other way, diverted from the waste stream
[SOUCRE: ISO 20887:2020, 3.13]
3.21
embodied impact
sum of an environmental impact (3.24) caused within the system boundary (3.61, 3.62) by the processes
associated with the extraction, production, transportation, installation, emissions in use (excluding
operational energy and water use), waste treatment and disposal at end of life of materials and products
that comprise the building.
Note 1 to entry: Embodied impact of a building will comprise all impacts associated with the materials and products
used within the scope of the object of assessment.
Note 2 to entry: Module D1 captures net embodied impacts beyond the system and is reported separately as
additional information
Note 3 to entry: Adapted from the definition for “carbon footprint of a product” in ISO 14067:2018, 3.1.1.1.
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3.22
embodied carbon
sum of the greenhouse gases emissions and removals, within the system boundary (3.61, 3.62) in the
processes associated with the extraction, production, transportation, installation, emissions in use, waste
treatment and disposal at end of life of materials and products that comprise the building, expressed in
CO equivalents, using the single impact category of climate change
Note 1 to entry: Embodied carbon of a building will comprise all emissions and removals associated with the
materials and products used within the scope of the object of assessment.
Note 2 to entry: Module D1 captures net embodied carbon beyond the system and is reported separately as
additional information.
Note 3 to entry: Adapted from the definition for “carbon footprint of a product” in ISO 14067:2018, 3.1.1.1.
3.23
environmental aspect
characteristic of construction works (3.14), part of works (3.10), processes or services related to their life
cycle (3.41) that can cause change to the environment
[SOURCE: ISO 15392:2019 3.13]
3.24
environmental impact
result of a change to the environment, whether adverse, neutral or beneficial, wholly or partially resulting
from environmental aspects
[SOURCE: ISO 15392:2019, 3.17.2, modified – definition of “impact” has been integrated in the definition]
3.25
environmental performance
performance related to environmental impacts and environmental aspects
[SOURCE: ISO 15392:2019, 3.16, modified - Note 1 has been removed]
3.26
Environmental Product Declaration
EPD
Type III Environmental declaration
independently verified claim which indicates the environmental impacts and aspects of a product,
providing quantified environmental data using predetermined parameters and, where relevant,
additional environmental information
Note 1 to entry: Adapted as a combination of definitions in ISO 14025:2006, (3.1) and ISO 21930:2017, (3.1.1)
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.
3.27
estimated service life
ESL
service life (3.59) that a building (3.3) or parts of a building would be expected to have in a set of specific
in-use conditions, determined from reference service life (3.48) data after taking into account any
differences from the reference in use conditions
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[SOURCE: ISO 15686-1:2011, 3.7]
3.28
exported energy
energy generated in a system and delivered across the system boundary for use by another system
Note 1 to entry: Exported energy can be calculated, or it can be measured.
Note 2 to entry: Adapted from definition in ISO 6707-3:2017, 3.54.
[SOURCE ISO 6707-3:2017, 3.5.4, modified – term “energy delivered from a construction works” changed
to “energy generated in a system and delivered across the system boundary”; term “outside its boundary”
changed to “by another system”; Notes to entry added]
3.29
external works
construction works (3.14) or landscape work on land associated with, and adjacent to, civil engineering
works (EN 15643:2021, 3.10) or a building (3.3)
[SOURCE: ISO 6707-1:2020, 3.1.1.4]
3.30
foundation
construction for transmitting forces to the supporting ground
[SOURCE: ISO 6707-1:2020, 3.3.1.1, modified – Note 1 to entry omitted]
3.31
functional equivalent
quantified functional requirements and/or technical requirements for a building (3.3) or an assembled
system (part of works) (3.10) for use as a basis for comparison
Note 1 to entry: Adapted from the definition in ISO 21931-1:2010.
[SOURCE: EN 15643:2021, 3.42]
3.32
functional performance
performance related to the functionality (3.35) of the construction works (3.14) or an assembled system
(part of works) (3.10), which is required by the client (3.7) and/or by users (3.67) and/or by regulations
Note 1 to entry: Adapted from the definition in EN 15643:2021.
[SOURCE: EN 15643:2021, 3.43]
3.33
functional requirement
type and level of functionality (3.35) of a building (3.3) or assembled system (3.10) which is required by
the client (3.7) and/or by users (3.67) and/or by regulations
Note 1 to entry: Adapted from the definition in EN 15643:2021.
[SOURCE: EN 15643:2021, 3.44]
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3.34
functional unit
quantified performance of a product system for use as a reference unit
[SOURCE: EN ISO 14040:2006+A1:2020, 3.20]
3.35
functionality
suitability or usefulness for a specific purpose or activity
[SOURCE: ISO 15686-10:2010 3.10]
3.36
generic data
data that is not site or enterprise specific
Note 1 to entry: This refers to data that is not directly collected, measured, or estimated by a company, but sourced
from a third party LCI database or other sources. Generic data includes industry average data (e.g. from published
production data, government statistics, and industry associations), literature studies, engineering studies and
patents, and may also be based on financial data, and contain proxy data, and other generic data.
Note 2 to entry: In this context site can mean production site and/or construction site.
[SOURCE: EN 15941:2024, 3.6, modified – Note 2 to entry added]
3.37
ground works
work done to prepare sub-surfaces for the start of construction work (3.13).
[SOURCE: EN17472:2022,3.37
3.38
handover
step at which possession of the construction works (3.14) is surrendered to the client (3.7) upon
completion with or without reservation
[SOURCE: ISO 6707-2:2017, 3.47]
3.39
indicator
quantitative, qualitative or descriptive measure
[SOURCE: ISO 15392:2019, 3.18]
3.40
landscaping
all the visible features of a building’s (3.3) site, often considered in terms of their aesthetic appeal, such
as gardens, including trees and other vegetation, lawns and turfed recreational areas, car parks, roads
and pathways
[SOURCE: ISO 6707-4:2021, 3.1.7, modified – “area of land” replaced in definition by “buildings site”;
“public and private gardens, parks, road vegetation including lawns and turfed recreational areas”
replaced in definition by “gardens, including trees and other vegetation, lawns and turfed recreational
areas, car parks, roads and pathways”]
oSIST prEN 15978:2024
prEN 15978:2024 (E)
3.41
life cycle
consecutive and interlinked stages in the life of the object under consideration
[SOURCE: EN 15643:2021, 3.54]
3.42
maintenance
combination of all technical and associated administrative actions during the service life (3.59) to retain
a building (3.3) or an assembled system (part of works) (3.10) in a state in which it can perform its required
functions
SOURCE ISO 15686-1:2011, 3.13, modified – “or its parts” replaced by “an assembled system (part of
works)”
Note 1 to entry: Maintenance may be planned or unplanned.
Note 2 to entry: Planned maintenance covers cleaning, servicing, lubrication, changing wearing parts, testing,
inspection, condition monitoring, undertaken on a periodic basis and before a failure would occur.
[SOURCE: ISO 15686-1:2011, 3.13: modified – Notes 1 and 2 to entry added]
3.43
offsetting
mechanism for compensating for the carbon footprint of a product through the prevention of the release
of, reduction in, or removal of, an equivalent amount of GHG emissions in a process outside the boundary
of the product system
EXAMPLE: External investment in renewable energy technologies; energy efficiency measures;
afforestation/reforestation.
[SOURCE: ISO 14021:2016, 3.1.12]
3.44
operational energy use
energy utilized during the use stage for the operation of the building (3.3)
Note 1 to entry: Operational energy use may include energy consumption related to building user (3.67) activities
occurring within the object of assessment.
[SOURCE: EN 15643:2021, 3.65, modified – terms “use during use and” deleted from definition and
replaced with terms “required for”; term “construction works” replaced with “building”; Note 1 to entry
added]
3.45
operational water use
water utilized during the use stage for operation of the building (3.3)
Note 1 to entry: Operational water use may include water consumption related to building user (3.67) activities
occurring within the object of assessment.
[SOURCE: EN 15643:2021, 3.66, modified – terms “use during use and” deleted from definition and
replaced with terms “required for”; term “construction works” replaced with “building”; Note 1 to entry
added]
oSIST prEN 15978:2024
prEN 15978:2024 (E)
3.46
recovery
operation to turn waste (3.68) into a useful resource
Note 1 to entry: Recovery operations can include material recovery and energy recovery.
[SOURCE: EN 15643:2021, 3.70, modified – text after term “useful purpose” deleted; Note 1 to entry
added]
3.47
recycling
recovery (3.46) operation by which waste (3.68) materials are reprocessed into products, materials or
substances either for the original purpose or other purposes
Note 1 to entry Recycling does not include energy recovery and the reprocessing into materials that are to be used
as fuels or for backfilling operations or other recovery operations as defined in Directive 2008/98 Annex II.
[SOURCE: EN 15643:2021, 3.71, modified – Note 1 to entry amended to reference Directive]
3.48
reference service life
RSL
service life (3.59) of a construction product (3.11), component, assembly or system which is known to be
expected under a set of reference in-use conditions and which may form the basis of estimating the service
life (3.59) under other in-use conditions
Note 1 to entry: The RSL is described as part of the functional unit and considered in the calculation of replacements
(B4) and refurbishment (B5) at both the construction product level and construction works level.
[SOURCE: ISO 15686-1:2011, 3.22, modified – “construction” has been added in the definition; “particular
set, i.e., a reference set of” has been replaced with “a set of reference” in the definition; Note 1 to entry
has been added]
3.49
reference study period
period over which the time-dependent characteristics of the object of assessment are analysed
Note 1 to entry: Time dependent characteristics are described in 8.3.
Note 2 to entry: In some cases, the reference study period may differ significantly from the required service life (3.54)
of the construction works.
[SOURCE: EN 15643;2021, 3.75, modified – Note 1 to entry added]
3.50
refurbishment
deep renovation
deep retrofit
large scale (substantial) modification and improvements to an existing construction works (3.14)
Note 1 to entry: Refurbishment can be undertaken to facilitate continuation of the current function, including
technical modernization and a change of space plan, or a change of function to new use.
Note 2 to entry: In the context of building assessment according to this document, refurbishment can be planned
from the outset (e.g. forms part of the client’s brief) or it can be the starting point of the next service life of an existing
oSIST prEN 15978:2024
prEN 15978:2024 (E)
building. The first case is addressed in module B5 of a new building under assessment, whilst the second is
addressed in a new assessment (see 7.4.5.5).
[SOURCE: ISO 6707-1:2020, 3.5.1.45, modified – synonyms added; “large scale (substantial)” has been
added in the definition; “plant, building (3.3) or civil engineering works” has been replaced with
“construction works (3.14)” in the definition; “to bring it up an acceptable condition” has been removed
from the definitio
...