The Spanish government approved, through Royal Decree 470/2021, the Structural Code, which regulates, among other aspects, concrete, metallic or mixed concrete-steel structures, applicable in building and civil works. This technical standard replaces the Structural Concrete Instruction EHE-08.
In Article 78 of the Structural Code, “Deconstruction of concrete structures”, it is indicated that any process of this type must be carried out by a company that is in possession of an environmental certification in accordance with the UNE-EN ISO 14001 standard.
This requirement is new with respect to the EHE and already implies a complete reorientation of all companies dedicated to demolition, earthmoving and excavation.
In the last 20 years, the management of construction rubble and waste has undergone a profound change. From being a marginal sector, it has been profoundly transformed, modernized and specialized, partly as a consequence of the strict regulatory measures that have gradually been established.
Surely the Structural Code wants to deepen the specialization and professionalization of companies in the sector, establishing new requirements that will surely limit the activity of less prepared and marginal companies.
Beyond the regulatory issue and its legislative enforceability, the achievement of this certification has become basic from a strategic point of view; the large construction companies already require it in their contracts. Architects are very focused on aspects related to the environment and sustainability. For this reason, the companies that do not advance in this sense, will be obsolete and without participation in the market.
This standard, which previously had a testimonial representation, has become the axis of progress in the sector, something logical considering that demolition companies are the main generators of rubble and construction waste.
Más allá de la cuestión normativa y de su exigibilidad legislativa, la consecución de esta certificación se ha convertido en básica desde un punto de vista estratégico; las grandes constructoras ya lo exigen en sus contrataciones. Los arquitectos están muy mentalizados con aquellos aspectos relacionados con el medioambiente y la sostenibilidad. Por ello, las empresas que no avancen en este sentido, quedarán obsoletas y sin participación en el mercado.
Esta norma, que antes tenía una representación testimonial, se ha convertido en eje del avance del sector, algo lógico teniendo en cuenta que las empresas de demolición son los principales generadores de escombros y de residuos de la construcción.
What is the ISO 14001 standard?
The UNE-EN ISO 14001:2015 is a standard that establishes the requirements that an organization must meet in relation to its environmental management systems.
This regulation helps to give structure to the protocols that companies establish linked to sustainability, and may be limited to complying with current legislation or the development of more ambitious sustainable management projects, since we find the concept of life cycle analysis, where We can develop Environmental Product Declarations (DAP) UNE-EN 15804:2012+A1:2014, specific for the construction sector, or Type III Environmental Declarations UNE-EN ISO 14025:2010.
What can we offer to successfully complete this process?
At OAK we started our first projects with the UNE-EN ISO 14001:1996 and UNE-EN ISO 14001:2004 regulations, and since then we have evolved our work and continuous improvement protocols. We design multidisciplinary teams oriented towards excellence, and we put our experience and knowledge of the sector at the disposal of our clients and their environmental objectives.
We offer coherent, responsible and effective solutions to achieve the UNE-EN ISO 14001:2015 certification.
Contact us now to receive information.