The Netherlands has set ambitious targets for reducing the environmental impact of buildings, and material choices play a key role in meeting these goals. For architects, designers and contractors, access to transparent environmental information is essential. That’s where the Nationale Milieudatabase (NMD) comes in: it is a public platform that provides product data for calculating the environmental performance of buildings.
With UPM’s WISA-Spruce products now readily available in the NMD, Dutch construction professionals can easily find third-party verified environmental data to use in their building designs and environmental performance calculations.
“Our complete WISA-Spruce portfolio sold in the Netherlands is now listed in the NMD, including WISA-Spruce Special and fire-retardant WISA-Spruce FR. As modular and wood construction expand in response to the growing demand for sustainable housing, we want to make it as easy as possible for our customers to access the product data they need in the right format,” says UPM Plywood’s Sales Manager Frank Leijendeckers.
Topfloor, Pellos and Pellos Topfloor, local product names also sold in the Dutch market, are technically identical to WISA-Spruce Special. As such, the environmental data in the NMD applies to these products as well.
Product-specific data brings tangible benefits
In the Netherlands, every new residential building and office larger than 100 square meters must meet a threshold for environmental performance called MPG score (MilieuPrestatie Gebouwen). The MPG score is measured in euros per square meter per year and reflects the environmental impact of the materials used in the building over its entire life cycle. In addition to being required for environmental permits, MPG calculations can also be used for voluntary sustainability certifications, such as BREEAM-NL and GPR Gebouw.
Designers and constructors can obtain the necessary data for MPG calculations directly from the NMD. The database categorizes environmental data into three levels: unverified generic data, verified sector-level data and verified product-specific data.
“WISA-Spruce products are listed on the most accurate level, based on verified product-specific data. This allows for more precise calculations and often results in a lower environmental impact score compared to more generic data. In this way, the data helps our customers in achieving both their sustainability and cost-efficiency targets,” Leijendeckers explains.
Thanks to the efficiency and low emissions of UPM’s production processes, WISA products perform well in terms of environmental cost. According to the NMD, WISA-Spruce Special has an environmental cost indicator (Milieukostenindicator, MKI) value of just €0.573 per square meter over a 75-year lifespan – up to three times lower than when using generic data.
Verified data tailored to Dutch requirements
Behind the numbers is a rigorous and transparent process.
“The product information in the NMD is based on the same core data as our existing Environmental Product Declarations for WISA-Spruce products, but it has been adapted to meet Dutch requirements. The calculations were performed externally and verified by an independent third party,” says UPM Plywood’s Environmental Manager Sanna Kontinen.
The key differences of the NMD environmental declarations and the international EPDs include the use of a different calculation unit, specific background datasets, the NMD’s own LCA methodology, and Dutch end-of-life scenarios. Each product information is valid for five years, in this case until October 2030.
The NMD listing is part of UPM Plywood’s broader commitment to transparency and service. In the Netherlands, WISA products are also available through BouwConnect, a digital BIM library used by designers and architects. With construction methods and the market evolving, digital tools and reliable data make it easier to design faster and choose smarter.
“We’re investing not only in product development, but also in accurate, accessible data. Together, the NMD and Bouwconnect databases help designers and builders to include WISA products into projects and sustainability assessments from the very first stages,” Leijendeckers concludes.