CDW (Construction and demolition waste) – the debris generated during the construction, renovation, and demolition of buildings, roads, and other structures.
Climate declaration – in the context of the Nordic countries’ efforts to reduce emissions from the construction industry, this is a mandatory report detailing the greenhouse gas emissions associated with a building’s entire lifecycle. The aim of this initiative, whether planned or already implemented, is to standardise how the environmental impact of buildings is measured and reported.
CO2e – carbon dioxide equivalent, a unit often used to standardise the global warming effect of different gases.
kg CO2e/m2 – unit for greenhouse gas emissions per square metre of construction. Useful for new construction.
kg CO2e/m2yr – unit for greenhouse gas emissions per square metre and year. Useful for emissions during a building’s lifetime.
EFCS (Emission-free construction site) – a site where all activities are carried out without producing greenhouse gas emissions, typically by using electric or renewable energy-powered machinery and implementing sustainable practices to eliminate the carbon footprint from waste and other parts of the construction site.
LCA (life cycle assessment) – a systematic method for assessing the environmental impact of a physical construct throughout its lifecycle.
Limit value – the maximum allowable emissions for new construction, often required alongside an LCA to ensure that its environmental impact remains below regulatory thresholds.
NRMM (Non-road mobile machinery) – machinery that is not intended for use on public roads. This includes equipment such as construction machinery (e.g., excavators, loaders), agricultural and forestry equipment (e.g., tractors, harvesters), and industrial machinery (e.g., generators, compressors).
On-site energy – energy generated and used at the construction site itself, often from renewable sources, to minimise carbon emissions.