CPR Sets Seven Basic Requirements for Construction Works
The new CPR expands construction requirements, creating seven Basic Requirements for Construction Works (BRCW) – with numbers 3 and 7 having the most environmental impact. The seven BRCW cover:
- Mechanical resistance and stability
- Safety in case of fire
- Hygiene, health and environment (includes reducing impact of greenhouse gases)
- Safety & accessibility in use
- Protection against noise
- Energy economy and heat retention
- Sustainable use of natural resources
Expanded BRCW No. 3: ensures that throughout a construction’s life cycle it must not present a threat to the hygiene, health or safety of workers, occupants or neighbours; or have an exceedingly high impact on the environment quality or on the climate during construction, use and demolition.
BRCW No. 7: construction works must now be designed, built and demolished in such a way that the use of natural resources is sustained. The harmonised technical specification for the works must be take particular notice of:
- Recyclability of the construction works, their materials and parts after demolition
- Durability of the construction works
- Use of environmentally compatible and secondary materials in the construction works.
Key hazards to guide against include:
- giving-off of toxic gas
- emissions of dangerous substances, volatile organic compounds (VOC), greenhouse gases or dangerous particles into indoor or outdoor air
- emission of dangerous radiation
- release of dangerous substances into ground water, marine waters, surface waters or soil
- release of dangerous substances into drinking water or substances which might have a negative impact on drinking water
- faulty discharge of waste water, emission of flue gases or faulty disposal of solid or liquid waste
- dampness in parts of the construction works or on surfaces within the construction works.