Criteria established for calculating product carbon footprints for formwork and scaffolding

A product carbon footprint (PCF) measures the total greenhouse gas emissions generated by a product across all relevant material lifecycle phases. It is an important tool for assessing the overall climate impact of a product and identifying levers to reduce emissions in the value chain.

“Competitiveness, sustainability, and transparency are becoming increasingly intertwined, and valid data is key to sustainable decision making,” says Robert Hauser, CEO of the Doka Group. “Two years ago, we set new standards in the formwork and scaffolding industry by fully calculating the product carbon footprint of more than 7,000 Doka products. We are proud that we have now also been able to make a significant contribution to establishing minimum standards in the industry for the first time.”

The Güteschutzverband Betonschalungen Europa e.V. (GSV) is a European association of manufacturers, suppliers, and users of formwork and scaffolding systems. The working group, which included representation from Doka, was established with the aim of developing a standard for the transparent quantification of product carbon footprints for the formwork and scaffolding sector. The newly published agreement on minimum standards is the result of intensive collaboration and cooperation. With this step, Doka and its market partners are not only setting a new standard in the industry but are also helping to establish transparency on greenhouse gas emissions as a standard in the value chain.

“We are delighted to have been able to contribute our many years of experience and our calculation methodology to the GSV joint working group. This industry-wide agreement between leading manufacturers brings us a big step closer to being able to better compare product carbon footprints and create a level playing field within the formwork and scaffolding industry,” adds Julia Weber, Head of Sustainability at Doka. All product carbon footprint data for Doka formwork already complies with the GSV standard.

Focus on benefits

For more than two years, Doka has been providing its customers with transparent data on the greenhouse gas emissions of its products. “When it comes to sustainability, facts count, not gut feelings,” emphasizes Weber. This is precisely the focus of Doka’s product carbon footprint initiative, which aims to support customers in their sustainability efforts – from more sustainable purchasing decisions and public tenders with CO2 budgets to calculating their own corporate carbon footprint.

Transparency into the carbon impact of products is also an important pillar of Doka’s own sustainability strategy.

“We are consistently pursuing our goal of net-zero emissions by 2040, and in the long term we are striving for ever lower-emission product strategies. Product carbon footprint data is already an integral part of the innovation process at Doka,” says Weber. “After all, transparent data is the key to sustainable construction.”