Is the green transition of the construction industry also starting in Hungary? Here is the first step

In the spirit of the green transition of the Hungarian construction industry, the Ministry of National Economy (NGM) announced in a press release that the simplified environmental assessment of construction products has started and the related information system will be made available. ÉMI Nonprofit Kft., the Ministry's background institution, in cooperation with the National Trade Association of Construction Contractors, will carry out the environmental assessment for all products of strategic importance and publish the information based on the voluntary declaration and data provision of product manufacturers. The database was launched in line with the government's sustainable economic and industrial development objectives, according to the ministry. In addition, the ministry said it will also launch the green transition of the construction industry in Hungary, and in parallel, review green public procurement rules and subsidised housing programmes.

How can the ecological footprint of the construction industry be reduced?

There are many ways to assess the environmental impact of building materials, for example the amount of greenhouse gases produced during the extraction and processing of raw materials. Or, in the case of timber, whether the product comes from sustainable forestry. The management of waste from construction and demolition is also an important issue in reducing the ecological footprint of the construction industry. For this reason, increasing attention is being given to recyclable or recycled building materials.

Database on building materials

The products listed on the https://www.termekinfo.emi.hu/ page, which will be available soon, all have the necessary declaration of performance for installation in Hungary. For ease of search, the performance declarations, simplified environmental certifications and detailed green declarations from the manufacturer are available in a separate database. The latter are voluntary and the manufacturer is responsible for their content. However, the simplified environmental statement is prepared by the ÉMI Nonprofit Kft. on the basis of the information provided by the manufacturer.

Database users expected to make more informed product choices

The databases allow users - manufacturers, contractors, clients and other interested parties - to find information about construction products, their manufacturers, their performance declarations and their calculated environmental score, according to the ÉMI Nonprofit Kft. website that created the database.

The ministry expects that a procurement should be based on construction products manufactured closest to the project site and with the lowest environmental impact.

Construction industry players are invited to build the database

Gergely Fábián, Minister of State for Industrial Policy and Technology at the Ministry of National Economy, stressed in the statement that the information system currently being developed focuses on products manufactured by Hungarian industry. He added that the data-based decision making resulting from the system will indirectly increase efficiency and effectiveness. The ministry encourages the actors of the construction industry to actively participate in the building of the database.