Sustainable construction with concrete release agents

Sustainable buildings are characterized by the responsible use of resources, minimized energy consumption, high environmental compatibility and reusability. In addition to saving on energy costs, sustainable buildings also offer high levels of living and lifestyle quality. Private builders, in particular, can freely decide how sustainably they want to build and what features to prioritize. Certification systems that assess entire buildings, rather than individual aspects, provide greater confidence. In Germany, the DGNB certification (German Sustainable Building Council) is commonly used for both large and small projects. The BNB (Assessment System for Sustainable Building) is used specifically for public federal buildings such as offices, administrative buildings, schools or laboratories. Internationally, other systems have become established, such as the U.S. LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) and the UK’s BREEAM (Building Research Establishment Environmental Assessment Method).

The DGNB developed a four-pillar model consisting of economy, ecology, sociocultural aspects and technology, which has become a widely used assessment system. Each pillar includes multiple catalogs of criteria that are strictly defined and regularly updated. For example, the ecology (ENV catalog) refers to resource-saving and environmentally friendly construction, while the economy (ECO catalog) focuses on the life-cycle cost-effectiveness of a building. The sociocultural aspect (SOC catalog) emphasizes user comfort, and the technology (TEC catalog) addresses soundproofing and recyclability.

Table 1: DGNB four-pillar model for the assessment of buildings [DGNB criteria catalogue for interiors, 2018 version]

It is particularly important to note that the DGNB system does not assess individual measures but rather the overall performance of a building. Different building types – such as new builds, existing structures, renovations or ongoing operations – are treated individually. The result of a DGNB certification is a Platinum, Gold or Silver seal. Only for building operations and existing buildings is a Bronze certificate awarded.

Selecting building products plays a vital role in constructing a sustainable building. A structure is composed of the sum of all its installed building products. The DGNB system evaluates products only in the context of their installation – not as individual items. Therefore, the DGNB does not issue certificates for building products but rather for buildings as a whole, without neglecting the importance of the products used. The criteria catalogue "ENV 1.2 – Risks for the Local Environment" specifies detailed environmental requirements for materials, focusing on sustainability-relevant product properties such as minimizing the risk of pollutant emissions. Concrete release agents are also addressed in this catalogue, specifically in Annex 1, Product Group 14.

The suitability of concrete release agents is defined across four quality levels [Fig. 3]. Products that do not meet these requirements are not accepted by DGNB and may not be used. The higher the quality level achieved, the more positively the concrete release agent contributes to the overall performance score according to Figure 2. Evaluation is based on the product-specific GISCODE (Hazardous Substances Information System Code) issued by the German Social Accident Insurance Institution for the building industry (BG Bau). A technical data sheet and a safety data sheet are required as proof and documentation. GISCODE information is listed in Section 15 of the safety data sheet.

Table 3: Quality levels for concrete release agents according to ENV 1.2 – Risks to the local environment

In practice, only certain types of concrete release agents meet the requirements outlined above [Fig. 3] and are permitted for use on DGNB-certified construction sites. Examples include emulsion-based release agents and low-viscosity products, which vary in composition and raw material base but share one key feature: high environmental compatibility. Users face a complex range of technologies and products from various manufacturers and must choose the right one for their project. The following overview [Fig. 4] is intended to help users identify DGNB-compliant concrete release agents by MC-Bauchemie.

Figure 4: DGNB-Compliant Concrete Release Agents by MC-Bauchemie According to Criteria Catalog ENV 1.2 – Risks for the Local Environment, as of November 2022 (subject to change)