From energy efficiency to market surveillance and building research

The GEG registration point is a digital platform aimed at professionals authorised to issue energy performance certificates and inspection reports for air-conditioning systems. Issuers receive registration numbers for the documents they create. They can also use the portal to upload XML control files for energy performance certificates and inspection reports if these have been selected for the random checks performed by the authorities.

Due to two amendments to the Buildings Energy Act (GEG) in 2022 and 2023, the GEG portal and the XML control scheme had to be adapted twice. 

Further amendments to the Buildings Energy Act are expected in the next legislative period as a result of the revision of the Energy Performance of Buildings Directive (EU) 2024/1275, also known as the EPBD, which came into force on 28 May 2024. It sets out a number of measures to improve the energy efficiency of buildings, which EU Member States are now bound to implement by 2026. It also provides for the creation of a central database for energy performance certificates. 

Market surveillance in the construction sector serves to ensure that CE-marked construction products comply with the provisions of the Construction Products Regulation and do not pose a risk to health and safety. 

In Germany, the federal states are responsible for the market surveillance of construction products. The authorities of the federal states routinely carry out random checks on the market or follow up on specific information. If they find that a construction product poses a serious risk, the market surveillance authorities make sure that users are informed via the relevant portals, including the manufacturer's or distributor's website, and in some cases also, the European Safety Gate (formerly EU rapid alert system RAPEX).

Through 2023 and 2024, DIBt as the joint market surveillance authority of the federal states handled

As the joint market surveillance authority, DIBt coordinates the market surveillance activities related to CE-marked construction products across all federal states. In this capacity, DIBt organises training sessions, promotes exchange of experience and convenes the Market Surveillance for Construction Working Group. If a construction product is suspected to be materially non-compliant, DIBt also takes charge of organising appropriate product tests and carrying out the associated risk assessment.

In 2023 and 2024, further digitalisation steps were implemented. The interface between MÜ|CE, the national procedure management system of the market surveillance authorities in construction, and ICSMS, the information and communication system of the European Commission, was completed in 2023. The market surveillance authorities of the federal states can now fulfil their notification and reporting obligations to the EU digitally. Work is currently underway to loop the customs authorities into ICSMS.

The market surveillance authorities in the construction sector are closely networked via the Administrative Cooperation Group for the Construction Products Regulation (AdCo CPR). The group also organises joint market surveillance activities. In 2024, for example, an EU-wide market surveillance initiative (Joint Action) was launched in the area of factory-made thermal insulation products in accordance with various harmonised product standards. The aim of the action is to test a sample of products for general formal shortcomings as well as for material non-conformity related to thermal resistance and fire behaviour. Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Sweden and Germany are all participating in this voluntary action. The German market surveillance authorities involved have agreed to test factory-made extruded polystyrene foam (XPS) products in accordance with EN 13164. DIBt is responsible for organising the necessary product tests and carrying out the risk assessment centrally.

Good manufacturing practice for construction products and the competent execution of construction techniques are essential prerequisites for safe construction. To ensure this, manufacturers need to pass through independent third parties, i.e. testing, inspection and certification bodies, in certain cases. DIBt recognises competent testing laboratories, inspection and certification bodies under the Building Codes of the federal states. DIBt also has the task of notifying German bodies for activities as testing laboratories or certification bodies in accordance with the Construction Products Regulation (EU) No 305/2011, in future Regulation (EU) 2024/3110, or the Boiler Efficiency Directive 92/42/EEC.

As of 31 December 2024, manufacturers could make use of the services

During the reporting period, the responsible Section at DIBt also published the 2023 and 2024 editions of the directory of recognised testing laboratories, inspection and certification bodies under the Building Codes of the federal states. 

Another topic on the Section's agenda in 2023/2024 was the review of the Construction Products Regulation. As a transitional rule, notifications in accordance with Regulation (EU) No 305/2011 will continue to apply in the first step. They will be transferred to the ‘new’ Regulation (EU) 2024/3110 gradually as part of the regular review of bodies, with the exercise to be completed by 8 January 2030 at the latest. The systems for assessment and verification of constancy of performance, better known as AVCP systems, have been renamed AVS systems (Assessment and Verification Systems). In addition to assessing the performance of construction products, i.e. their contribution to the safety of the built environment, the bodies will also carry out conformity assessment tasks in future. Another new feature is the 3+ AVS system, which focuses on validating environmental sustainability. Talks with interested bodies are underway.

Product Contact Points for Construction (PCPCs) have been implemented across the EU to help manufacturers to quickly understand the legal situation in the Member State where they would like to market their construction product. DIBt has been providing information on requirements for the marketing and use of construction products in Germany since 2019.

The portal is primarily used by manufacturers, followed by importers and users

Construction products may contain levels of natural radioactivity that result in increased radiation exposure to the public. The Radiation Protection Act contains detailed regulations on protection against radiation from construction products. DIBt acts as the competent authority under the Radiation Protection Act (StrlSchG, Sections 134, 135) for 12 federal states to date: Bavaria, Brandenburg, Bremen, Hamburg, Hesse, Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, Lower Saxony, North Rhine-Westphalia, Saxony, Saxony-Anhalt, Schleswig-Holstein and Thuringia. Other federal states have announced plans to delegate this task to DIBt.

As part of these activities, DIBt maintains a regular exchange with the responsible Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation, Nuclear Safety and Consumer Protection on questions related to enforcement.

The Conference of Construction Ministers has an annual budget of €1 million earmarked for research into subjects of general regulatory concern, which is administered by DIBt. DIBt has the task to initiate, award, supervise and evaluate corresponding technical studies and building research projects.

In 2023 and 2024, 

One focus area of studies in 2023 and 2024 was on Eurocodes research. This included a research project on the reliability of steel structures in Germany, which we reported on in our newsletter 2024/4. There has also been research into textile-reinforced concrete, sustainability and circular economy, such as the reusability of bricks, and much more. 

The final reports of these research projects are publicly accessible (in the German language). Since 2024, they can be downloaded directly from the DIBt website free of charge: www.dibt.de > Service > Listen und Verzeichnisse > Bauforschungsberichte